RWANDAN President Paul Kagame is expected in Dar es Salaam on July 1 to begin a state visit to Tanzania, during which he will open the 40th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) and hold talks aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.
According to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, East African, Regional and International Cooperation,
Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, the state visit by the Rwandan leader
follows an invitation extended to him by President John Magufuli.
During the tour, Mr Kagame and his host
are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the areas of
cooperation between the two countries that were finalised by a joint
committee of experts from both countries.
The two neighbouring countries last
month agreed to form a joint implementation committee (JIC) to closely
monitor important areas of bilateral agreed during the 14th session of
the Joint Permanent Commission (JPC).
They agreed to bolster bilateral ties in
various key sectors, including strengthening relationship in the
aviation sector, especially between the two countries’ national airlines
- Rwandair and Air Tanzania.
The meeting also agreed to fast-track
infrastructure development on the central corridor, which combines road
and railway network - as an essential trade and transport route linking
the two countries with neighbouring Burundi, Uganda and the eastern part
of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Other areas of cooperation include
increasing the pace on the construction of the envisaged multi-trillion
shilling standard gauge central railway line project.
The 14th JPC meeting came following the
directives issued by President Magufuli and his Rwandan counterpart in
Kigali in April during the former’s maiden trip outside the country
since he was elected into office last October.
This means the signing ceremony of the
MoU will be putting in record the areas of bilateral ties between the
two countries. “The signing ceremony of the MoU will be held upon
arrival at the Magogoni State House in Dar es Salaam on July 1,’’ said
Ambassador Mahiga.
Later in the day, Mr Kagame and his team
will proceed to the Saba Saba Grounds along Kilwa Road in the city to
launch the DITF, also known as Saba Saba Trade Fair. Dr Magufuli will
later in the evening host a state banquet in honour of the visitor and
his entire delegation.
According to Dr Mahiga, the state visit
by President Kagame is in response to the one Dr Magufuli paid to Rwanda
in a special programme to enhance good working relations between
Tanzania and her neighbours.
During Dr Magufuli’s state visit to
Rwanda, the two presidents pledged to strengthen relations to enable
their citizens to work together for their mutual benefit and accelerated
development.
Mr Kagame’s visit will be the first
since Dr Magufuli was elected president. He will be the second head of
state to visit Tanzania since Dr Magufuli took oath of office in
November, last year. The first was Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang.
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