Rwanda and Burundi will on Thursday hold bilateral talks to tackle the border concerns of the two countries.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bilateral talks, are aimed at tackling previously unresolved border issues.

The ministry’s Acting Director of Communications, Mucyo Rutishisha told The New Times, that also high on the agenda of the five day talks is the setting up of a Joint Commission on Cooperation.

Joseph Kabakeza, the Director General of Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation explained that border disputes between Rwanda-Burundi stem from flawed or ambiguous colonial demarcations.

"In 1958, there was a protocol dividing Rwanda and Burundi, signed by Belgium, but this did not have any accompanying map – which is the source of the problem because a map would have given clear demarcations of the border,” Kabakeza said.

"When we meet in this high-level ministerial gathering, we hope to draw conclusions on or where the joint technical team failed,” Kabakeza said.

The recent defection of over 350 fugitives escaping Gacaca to Burundi is also likely to feature during the bilateral meeting.

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