Canada and Rwanda
Canada and Rwanda have maintained relations since 1963 and cooperate in development and international organisations. The relationship also involves serious tension: in March 2025 Canada adopted restrictions over the presence of Rwandan forces and their support for M23 in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
Canada supported the establishment of the national university in Butare and the recovery of institutions and infrastructure following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between Canada and Rwanda totalled 14.7 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Among the selected commodity chapters, vehicles and components stand out in shipments from Canada to Rwanda, with 1.6 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 14.66 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Canada to Rwanda | 10.67 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Rwanda to Canada | 4 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Canada to Rwanda | 0.00192 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Rwanda to Canada | ||
| Investment stock: Canada in Rwanda | ||
| Investment stock: Rwanda in Canada |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; CAN as reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; not a sum of mirror reporting. Both directions are identified from the same customs reporting.
- Goods: Canada to Rwanda
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; CAN as reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; not a sum of mirror reporting. Both directions are identified from the same customs reporting.
- Goods: Rwanda to Canada
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; CAN as reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; not a sum of mirror reporting. Both directions are identified from the same customs reporting.
- Export share: Canada to Rwanda
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Canada | Rwanda |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 2.32 trillion USD2025 · WB | 16.37 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 55,697.66 USD2025 · WB | 1,123.74 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.74 %2025 · WB | 9.38 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.25 %2026-09-02 · BoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.07 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 5.91 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · StatCan | |
| Unemployment | 6.91 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 11.36 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -1.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -4.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 113.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 64.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.95 %2025 · WB | -11.96 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 41,651,6532025 · WB | 14,569,3412025 · WB |
| Area | 9,984,670 km²2012 · StatCan | 26,338 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDCanada: 2025 · World BankRwanda: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personCanada: 2025 · World BankRwanda: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Canada: 2025 · World BankRwanda: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Canada: 2026-09-02 · Overnight rate target · Bank of Canada
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Canada: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankRwanda: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedCanada: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · Statistics Canada · Published: 2026-09-14 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionCanada: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Rwanda: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Canada: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Rwanda: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Canada: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Rwanda: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPCanada: 2025 · World BankRwanda: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleCanada: 2025 · World BankRwanda: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceCanada: 2012 · Total area of Canada, land and water; archived official geographic reference from 2012 · Statistics Canada · Not an annual measurement for 2025. Replaces an API observation that does not match the national reference.Rwanda: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Canada to Rwanda
Rwanda to Canada
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Canada to Rwanda | Rwanda to Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10.7 | 9.3 | 1.4 |
| 2022 | 7.1 | 4 | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 8.1 | 5.4 | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 6.9 | 4.6 | 2.2 |
| 2025 | 14.7 | 10.7 | 4 |
Connections between people
Canada supported the establishment of the national university in Butare and the recovery of institutions and infrastructure following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Cooperation covers education, health and gender, with representation through high commissions in Kigali and Ottawa and contacts in the Francophonie and the Commonwealth. [1] [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Canada living in Rwanda | ||
| Residents from Rwanda living in Canada | ||
| Study and training: Canada in Rwanda | ||
| Study and training: Rwanda in Canada | ||
| Academic stays: Canada in Rwanda | ||
| Academic stays: Rwanda in Canada | ||
| Travel: Canada to Rwanda | ||
| Travel: Rwanda to Canada |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
Canada supported the establishment of the national university in Butare and the recovery of institutions and infrastructure following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Its Parliament has established and reiterated commemorations of 7 April. [1] [2]
The scale of both economies
Canada's nominal GDP is USD 2,319.9 billion (2025), compared with 16.4 billion for Rwanda (2025). The reference populations are 41.65 and 14.57 million, respectively. In the same year, Canada's economy was 141.7 times Rwanda's in nominal GDP. The comparison puts market size into context, but does not by itself measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Cooperation covers education, health and gender, with representation through high commissions in Kigali and Ottawa and contacts in the Francophonie and the Commonwealth. On 3 March 2025 Ottawa condemned the presence of Rwandan forces in Congo and their support for M23. It suspended export permits for controlled goods and technologies, new government-to-government business and proactive support for private business development, including trade missions. It also announced a review of participation in events and summoned the Rwandan high commissioner. These are specific measures, not a diplomatic rupture or a documented suspension of all humanitarian assistance. [1] [2]
Measures of March 2025
The Canadian statement of 3 March 2025 sets out the restrictions and calls for respect for Congolese sovereignty. It distinguishes those measures from the humanitarian assistance Canada announced for affected people in Congo. [2]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Canada and Rwanda) totalled 14.7 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 10.7 million; those in the opposite direction, 4 million. The difference between the two flows was 6.7 million, in favour of Canada. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [3]
The partner's share of exports
Canada's sales to the partner represented 0.00192% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of overall merchandise is small. [3]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 10.7 million USD in 2021 and 14.7 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +36.9 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 14.7 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [4]
Documented trade sectors
Among the selected commodity chapters, vehicles and components stand out in shipments from Canada to Rwanda, with 1.6 million USD in 2025. Among the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Rwanda to Canada, with 0.0321 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as total trade. It is not a complete list and does not demonstrate that the first item in this selection is the leading product of the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [5]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Canada-Rwanda relations
Global Affairs Canada · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Statement by Ministers Joly, Hussen and Ng on Rwanda’s involvement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo conflict - Canada.ca
Global Affairs Canada · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.