- Tanzania and Rwanda are warming up to set up second official border post.
- Currently, Rwanda is the third largest user of Dar es Salaam port.
- More than 80% of Rwanda’s cargo goes through the port of Dar es Salaam.
The push to foster EAC integration appears to be moving in a positive direction with Tanzania and Rwanda taking steps to enhance one of East Africa Community (EAC) pivotal goal, regional trade.
A top Tanzanian envoy has announced plans to open a new border post with Rwanda, as part of ongoing measures between the two countries to scale up the movement of labour, goods and services providers.
Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, made the announcement at the end of his four-day state visit to Rwanda.
The Minister revealed that the proposed border crossing will be set up in Tanzania’s Kyerwa district in Kagera Region and will be a major boost to the coveted EAC integration as well as serve to ease pressure on the popular Rusumo border post.
On his side, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vincent Biruta, welcomed the development and said Rwanda is committed to boosting the two countries’ bilateral ties in various sectors including trade, energy and infrastructure in efforts to accelerate EAC integration.
Notably, the Tanzanian Minister said the new border crossing will effectively help ease movement of Rwandan traders and trucks to the port of Dar es Salam for international trade, a key goal of the intended regional bloc.
Landlocked Rwanda is largely dependent on Tanzania and Kenya for its international trade and so this new border post will play a big role in the country’s ambitions to grow its international trade.
Also Read: Rwanda’s dairy sector challenges Kenya and Tanzania’s dominance
EAC integration dependent on political will
At the moment, Rwanda just so happens to be the third largest user of Dar es Salaam port. The landlocked country transits more than 80 per cent of its cargo through the port of Dar es Salaam representing a whopping 1.4 million metric tonnes of cargo.
“In 2023 alone, we passed some 63,000 containers through the port of Dar es Salaam,” explained Biruta.
On his part, Tanzania’s Makamba took to X (former Twitter) where he highlighted Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame’s reaffirmation of friendship between the two countries. He described their relation as one of brothers, joined by geography, history and culture and most importantly, a shared destiny.
Minister Makamba also revealed that Tanzania had offered Rwanda land to set up dry ports at Isaka and Kwala. He said this is a huge opportunity for the private sector to leverage and potentially, Tanzania may very well become Rwanda’s number one trading partner.
“We’ve committed to be a reliable partnership… and we’re keen to expand (business). Tanzania is Rwanda’s second largest trading partner. The potential to be first exists. We are going to work on it,” he pledged before local media.
“We’ve decided to regularize this market. Rwanda has invested in diary processing in Mwanza that is only the start…we plan to engage in other joint agriculture ventures,” the minister revealed.
Rwanda using Tanzania’s broadband infrastructure
He went on to point out that the two countries will be singing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Agriculture Cooperation this coming May. Short of detailing what agricultural activities the two countries will be doing together, the minister did however reassure stakeholders that the venture will be lucrative and long term.
In a similar but different commitment, the Minister highlighted that Rwanda uses Tanzania’s broadband infrastructure for its connectivity and so; “We must work together to solve common challenges and prioritize things that will improve the lives of people from our two countries.”
Then there is collaboration in power projects like the three country hydropower mega project involving Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi. In this project, the three countries have collaborated in the construction of the Rusumo Hydropower plant that upon completion is expected to have the capacity to produce 27MW.
“The $340 million plant built on the three countries’ borders and is near completion,” Minister Makamba pointed out.
“Through this important collaboration, both Rwanda and Tanzania will respectively add 27 megawatts to their national grid, starting later this year,” Rwanda’s Minister Biruta seconded.
For these reasons, Rwanda’s Minister Biruta underscored the fact that; “Rwanda considers Tanzania as a good neighbour and a valued partner.”
Kiswahili now Rwanda’s 4th official language
So close are the ties between the two countries that in 2017, Rwanda added Kiswahili as its 4th official language.
“It is our wish to continue and build on our good neighbourly relations…we can do this through the promotion of increased trade flows, with the hope to continue reaping the rewards of a mutually beneficial economic partnership,” Rwanda’s Biruta expressed his optimism.
“Beyond stimulating our economic growth, these trade ties also strengthen the fraternal bond linking our two nations,” he foresaw.
The two East African countries represent some of the region’s and the world’s fastest growing economies and such cooperation as has been expressed by both sides is bound to bring prosperity to the entire EAC bloc.
Trade growth between Rwanda and Tanzania also means more trade amongst the rest of the EAC countries. As the two countries discussed bilateral ties, the matter of security also came into play as a major factor determining economic growth of any region.
