The event aims to promote an increase in coffee export revenue of $120 million by 2012

Rwanda will host the Eastern Africa Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition, at Kigali Serena hotel, early February.

The aim of the event will be to promote and market quality coffees, from the Eastern and the Southern African regions, and will be held under the theme: "A Coffee journey to the land of a thousand hills.”

It will bring coffee sector stakeholders to exhibit their coffee, while discussing challenges and opportunities in the industry. This was announced, yesterday, at Kigali Serena hotel, that the event will be similar to Africa’s first International Cup of Excellence which Rwanda hosted last August and aims to promote an increase in coffee export revenue of $120 million by 2012.

The two-day event is organised by the Eastern Africa Finer Coffees Association (EAFCA) in collaboration with Rwanda Coffee Development Authority (Ocir-café).

The EACFA Executive Officer, Phillip Gitao, announced that the event will have a series of activities highlighting coffee developmental programmes. Some of the programmes include the training of farmers on value additions, regional coffee auctioning and coffee research.

"It will also provide a chance of networking and forging partnership with world renowned coffee dealers—thus sharing experiences,” said Gitao.

EAFCA is an association of coffee producers, processors, marketing people and organisations in the ten Eastern and Southern African countries of; Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Emmanuel Harelimana, the Deputy Director General of Caferwa, a coffee exporting company, said that the conference will enhance value additional skills a requirement for export promotion.

He said that it will be one of the initiatives Rwanda will use to strength its marketing tools and expand its international market.

About 600 coffee dealers from outside Rwanda are expected to attend and these will include; processors, associations, roasters, dealers, retailers, and coffee professionals.

Side events will also be held during the conference and these include, the National Barista Coffee Competition that promotes the domestic consumption of coffee.

Currently, Rwanda’s domestic coffee consumption is estimated at five percent while the 95 percent is exported. Europe and Asia share the best percent of the market while America takes 20 percent.

The Minister of Commerce, Monique Nsanzabanganwa, pledged government’s support to see the event successful.

Alex Kanyakole, Ocir-café Director General, urged all coffee stakeholders to leverage the benefits from the event. It will be the first time the event is hosted by Rwanda and the sixth in the region.

This year’s event was held in Kampala, Uganda from February 14-16. Rwanda, the host country was among the best exhibitors with the best coffees in the region.

In her efforts to promote specialty coffee, Rwanda has earned great accolades on the international market. Coffee employs more than 500,000 Rwandans and over 100 washing stations have been set up.

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