Tanzania, Rwanda deepen ties with new transport and trade commitments
Tanzania and Rwanda formalized bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation in air connectivity, railway development, and Kiswahili promotion.
The treaties were signed during the 16th Joint Permanent Commission meeting in Kigali, focusing on strengthening trade and dialogue.
Infrastructure projects, including the standard gauge railway linking the nations, are under feasibility studies.
The agreements were signed by Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Tanzanian counterpart Mahmoud Thabit Kombo during the 16th Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) in Kigali.
The ministers underscored the JPC's role in strengthening bilateral dialogue and trade cooperation, with a planned liaison office in Kigali expected to streamline port services for Rwandan importers and exporters.
Nduhungirehe commended Tanzania's role in boosting Rwanda's economy through enhanced operations at the Dar es Salaam port, which handles over 70% of Rwanda's international trade, according to Xinhua.
Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, stated that Rwanda is among Tanzania's top air travel partners, alongside Kenya.
He noted that RwandAir operates daily flights between the two countries and described this level of connectivity as very encouraging, emphasizing its importance in strengthening bilateral ties.
In addition to acknowledging RwandAir's service quality and performance, Kombo revealed that 90 percent of Tanzania's delegation, including himself, arrived in Kigali via RwandAir. He expressed optimism about the prospect of Air Tanzania resuming flights to Kigali, a route that was previously suspended.
Plans are also underway for Air Tanzania to introduce cargo services, leveraging its large cargo fleet to support Rwanda's freight needs.
Railway connectivity, language diplomacy, and regional integration
Beyond aviation, Kombo confirmed that both governments are committed to implementing more ambitious infrastructure projects. One of the key projects under consideration is the standard gauge railway (SGR), which is expected to link Tanzania and Rwanda.
He mentioned that technical matters such as feasibility studies and route planning are already being addressed at the ministerial level in Tanzania, to improve the transport of goods between the two nations.
The Tanzanian minister also praised Rwanda for making Kiswahili one of its four official languages, alongside English, French, and Kinyarwanda.
He described this as a commendable move, especially given that Tanzania hosts the headquarters of Kiswahili for the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and UNESCO.
He stated that Tanzania has a responsibility to do more and is prepared to provide Rwanda with additional support, including Kiswahili books and teachers, to strengthen Kiswahili education in the country.
Quoting UNESCO, Kombo noted that over 200 million people now speak Kiswahili across the continent, making it the most widely spoken language in East and Central Africa.
He also highlighted the broad areas of collaboration between the two countries, stating that both sides had agreed to intensify cooperation in several sectors, including political and diplomatic consultation, defense, security, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development, ICT, energy, and health.
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