There is a marked improvement of relations between Tanzania and Rwanda, with the two countries’ presidents now appearing to embrace each other and eager to bury the troubled past in bilateral ties.
President Paul Kagame, who was clearly disenchanted with Tanzania during the last years of Mr Jakaya Kikwete’s presidency, is now openly warming up to Dar es Salaam, while President John Magufuli has also taken into citing its neighbour for praise in a reciprocal gesture.
News yesterday that the two countries are scheduled to hold their first ever trade forum in Kigali in May will only serve to reinforce the view that the two leaders, each with marked quality of strictness in approach to public affairs, are finding the rythm that could re-define their engament as key members of the East African Community (EAC). A statement reeleased in Kigali yesterday revealed that Mr Kagame’s government, in conjuction with the Tanzanian High Commission in Rwanda, will on May 16 hold what has been dubbed “Tanzania-Rwanda Trade Forum” to discuss how the two countries can boost trade among their people.
Rwanda will use this joint trade forum to kickstart a campaign to become Tanzania’s top trade partner in five years, according to the organsiers. Other agendas of the forum is to strengthen bilateral ties between Rwanda and Tanzania as well as formalise trade relations between Dar and Kigali. Tanzania is seeking to increase exports to Rwanda by 15 per cent in the interim. The talks to bring togther both big and small companies from the two countries will provide a platform to explore how the governments can create a conducive environment for both Rwandan and Tanzanian companies to thrive.
Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rwanda in 2008 to boost trade and attract investments in the two countries but trade relations have suffered with the political standoff sparked by Mr Kikwete’s call for talks betweek Kigali and rebels who have for years been accused by Rwanda of taking part in the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 people were killed. President Kagame did not take the call kindly and publicly criticised the Tanzanian leader.
In the midst of the cold relations, Tanzania carried out a crack down on illegal immigrants from neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. Kigali claimed the operation targetted Rwandans. A tax dispute would follow, blocking or adding new fees on long distance trucks ferrying oild and other goods from Dar es Salaam to Kigali.
In the end, President Kagame and Mr Kikwete avoided each other, with Kigali teaming up with Uganda and Kenya to launch what was famously referrred to as “Coalition of the Willing”, to plan and roll out regional projects that appeared to isolate Tanzania.
It was, however, towards the very last days end of Mr Kikwete’s tenure that Mr Kagame met him at an EAC summit in Uganda to break the ice. Later, Kagame came to Dar es Salaam to launch the new cargo train by TRL that would ferry goods directly to Rwanda. Like the seven other landlocked Great Lakes region countries, Rwanda rellies on Dar port for shipment of its goods. The May talks will thus be a positive development to the new chapter in the ralations as President Magufuli’s brand of leadership continues to win accolades among his peers in the region. Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation (RPSF) and Tanzanian Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) are expected to bring forth the MOU for enhanced engagements.
The volume of trade between the two countries was a mere $5.7 million 10 years ago but which jumped to $17.6 million in only one year, to show the untapped potential. Despite the proximity to Rwanda, Tanzania still lags behind Kenya and Uganda as Kigali’s top traders. For Tanzania, the wind of change and opportunity that come with the change of leadership provides emence room to significantly raise its trade volume with Kigali and the other EAC member countries. The warm relations bwetween Presidents Kagame and Magufuli will come as a relief to many. The vibe that has followed the two leaders’ meeting recently in Arusha is a sign of good things to come.
Just like President Magufuli has clamped on wanton public spending, President Kagame last week followed suit, citing his Dar counterpart as inspirational and vowing to copy his style as they seek to cut down runaway expenditure at the Arusha headquarters of the regional bloc.
