Kigali hails Dar’s kindness to refugees

MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba

THE Governor for Rwanda’s Eastern Province, Madame Judith Kazayire has reiterated her government’s commitment to strengthening relations and creating a conducive business environment to further improve trade between the two countries.

Ms Kazayire made these remarks this morning in her opening remarks during a good neighborliness meeting between Rwanda’s Eastern Province and Kagera leaders held in Bukoba Municipality.

She noted that improving business and bilateral ties between Rwanda and Tanzania will increase trade flow, boosting Rwanda’s exports to Tanzania. “Indeed, this is a milestone in scaling up the campaign on trade development, trade facilitation and investment promotion.

We have to work together to find a lasting solution on economic, social and security–related matters facing people on our common borders including drug trafficking,” she said.

Rwanda and Tanzania have been important trading partners, noting that the new development will foster trade and cooperation in different aspects. Tanzania was Rwanda’s third largest trading partner in the region last year, with total trade between the two countries amounting to $68 million, down from $70.8 million in 2014.

This, however, reflects a decrease of about four per cent, which experts attribute partly to challenges businesses faced while trading with their Tanzanian counterparts.

Ms Kazayire paid tribute to Tanzania for the hospitality in assisting thousands of refugees who fled Rwanda following the 1994 genocide, adding that increased trade will enhance economic and social development.

“This can be done through enhancing partnerships between business people from both countries, identifying and solving barriers faced by entrepreneurs in a timely manner, and increasing facilitation to strength regional trade and investment in select sectors,” she remarked.

On July 1, last year President John Magufuli visited Rwanda and explained that the Tanzania Port Authority (TPA) will open an office in Kigali as an effort to promote and increase trade with Tanzania.

The establishment of the Rwanda Inland Container Depot (ICD) will facilitate the handling and storage of Rwanda’s cargo, of which 70 percent passes through the Dar es Salaam port.

During the visit, President Magufuli stressed the importance of railways for the economies of Tanzania and Rwanda. Tanzania allocated TZS1tn in its 2016–2017 budget for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to connect the port of Dar es Salaam to Rwanda and Burundi.

The SGR is expected to further increase the cargo volume handled at the Dar es Salaam port.