Tanzania to boost trade, economic ties with Rwanda: Official

Rwanda and Tanzania have agreed to boost trade and economic relations that are likely to benefit people in the two East African countries, a statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House in Dar es Salaam on March 7 read.

The statement issued at the end of talks between President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli and President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda said the two leaders also discussed issues on the East African Community (EAC). Paul Kagame is current chairman of the EAC with a total population of about 165 million people. He is currently the Chairman of the East African Community.

“We have agreed to strengthen our bilateral relations, and our trade and economic ties,” the statement quoted President John Pombe Magufuli as saying. He said that the two leaders also agreed to accelerate development projects in the East African region for the benefit of its population, according to the statement.

President Paul Kagame, who arrived in Tanzania on Thursday for a two-day state visit, said the talks also centred on how to improve the welfare of people in the two countries, and in the East African region in general. President Magufuli, who rarely travels out of the country, made his first foreign visit to Rwanda in April 2016, five months after assuming office.

President Kagame’s last state visit to Tanzania was in January 2018 where they agreed to collaborate on the standard gauge railway (SGR) from Isaka to Kigali. His visit to Tanzania comes amid deteriorating relations with Uganda and frosty ties with Burundi, partner states of the East African Community, as reported by Xinhua.

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