The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, has announced that the governments of Tanzania and Rwanda have reached an agreement to open a new border crossing in Kyerwa, Kagera Region.
Minister Makamba made this statement following a meeting with four Rwandan Ministers representing various sectors, where discussions centered on enhancing relations between the two countries, particularly in boosting trade and fostering closer ties.
Minister Makamba underscored the importance of the agreement, highlighting Rwanda's significant utilization of Tanzania's port facilities, ranking as the third-largest user last year. Stressing the necessity of maintaining and enhancing trade relations with Rwanda, Minister Makamba emphasized the collaborative effort to explore avenues for increased trade between Tanzania and Rwanda through optimizing port infrastructure. The minister emphasized the strategic significance of leveraging existing port capacities to foster bilateral trade growth during discussions with Rwandan counterparts.
In addressing the need for improved border facilitation, Minister Makamba elucidated that Tanzania and Rwanda currently only share one official border at Rusumo. Consequently, both governments have jointly decided to establish an additional border crossing in Kyerwa. This decision aims to streamline trade processes and fortify diplomatic relations between the two nations, signaling a proactive step towards bolstering economic cooperation and fostering mutual benefits through enhanced cross-border trade initiatives.
This move aims to bolster economic and trade cooperation between Tanzania and Rwanda while streamlining trade and transportation processes between the two nations.