Rwanda and Tanzania are set to open a new border post, as both African countries deepen trade ties at a time trade and political forces pull regional partners in different directions.
The new post will be opened at Tanzania’s Kyerwa district in Kagera Region to provide a second passage for people and goods and reduce pressure on the Rusumo border post.
Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, said this in Kigali during his recent four-day visit to Rwanda.
Makamba said “we want to make it easy for people of the two countries to cross and visit each other. We have talked about the possibility and readiness to open a new border front in Kyerwa, and we are ready to have it operational.”
The minister, who led a delegation that included senior officials from the Tanzanian Ministries of Transport, Trade and Industry, ICT, Agriculture, Energy, and other key parastatals, said Tanzania is committed to expand business with Rwanda.
He added that Rwanda is Tanzania’s second largest trading partner, and the potential to be the first exists.
He highlighted existing business projects Rwanda and Tanzania are involved in such as the Rwandan dairy factory located in Mwanza, which opened up the Tanzanian market to Rwandan milk.
Makamba also said “Rwanda uses Tanzania broadband infrastructure for a certain amount of capacity in its connectivity. We have committed to be a reliable partner in this area, and we are keen to expand this.”
On his part, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, said a second border post would come with massive economic prospects and trade values for Rwanda.
He added that “We must work together to solve common challenges and prioritise things that will improve the lives of people from our two countries. The bilateral relations between our two countries have always been excellent and they keep improving to greater heights.”
Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, said a second border post would come with a lot of economic prospects and trade value for Rwanda.
The new border post is part of a raft of measures to scale up trade ties between the Rwanda and Tanzania. Others include harmonisation of levies, a concern which was raised by Rwandan and Tanzanian truckers.
Dodoma and Kigali have enjoyed good bilateral and trade relations over the years, with volumes of Rwanda bound cargo going through Tanzania growing exponentially in the past three decades.
Rwanda is the third largest user of Dar es Salaam port, with more than 80 percent of its cargo going through it.
Rwandans buy cereals, cement, garments, fuels, and many other goods from Tanzania.
