President Paul Kagame has said that Rwanda and Tanzania’s bonds of friendship and cooperation are deeply rooted in a common aspiration to improve the lives of citizens.
He said this on April 27, while addressing the media on the occasion of his two-day state visit in Tanzania.
The head of state held a tête-à-tête with his host, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and the two leaders joined their respective delegations for a bilateral meeting.
Kagame said: "Africa’s entrepreneurial youth give us a comparative advantage, but we have to create an enabling environment for them. That is why we are here.”
"The seeds of Tanzania and Rwanda relations were planted decades ago, and they continue to bear fruit today.”
In August 2021, President Suluhu visited Rwanda, in a move aimed at strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries. She witnessed the signing of agreements in various sectors for the social and economic growth of both nations.
The two countries share cordial relations in various sectors of cooperation, especially in trade and investment with potential in multiple other avenues.
Tanzania’s exports to Rwanda increased to $277.8 million in 2021, up from $60.1 million, while Rwanda’s exports to Tanzania increased to $2.2 million up from $1.3 million in the same period.
Rwanda uses the port of Dar es Salaam for much of her inbound and outbound cargo, (over 80 per cent) through what is commonly known as the Central Corridor.
Popular Tanzanian businesses operating in Rwanda include Azam Group, Bakhresa, Matelas Dodoma, among others, while Rwandan companies like Sulfo Rwanda, and Pharmalab, have set foot in Tanzania.
Some of Rwanda’s submarine sea cables IT infrastructure go through the port of Dar es Salaam.
Both countries have also committed to cooperate closely on border control and crime prevention, information and intelligence sharing on terrorism and other transnational crimes.
In 2018, they agreed on joint construction of a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Isaka (northwestern Tanzania) to Kigali, a move which will facilitate movement of goods between the two countries.