Photo The New Times

President Paul Kagame and his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu Hassan have exchanged messages intent on enhancing the two countries' bilateral cooperation.

On Thursday, June 3, Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Vincent Biruta was received by the President of Tanzania at State House Chamwino, in the capital, Dodoma, as he delivered President Kagame's message to his counterpart.

Shortly afterwards, Gerson Msigwa, the Director of Information Services and Chief Government Spokesperson of Tanzania, released a statement indicating that Kagame, among others, assured Suluhu who took oath on March 19, as the sixth President of her country that Rwanda is ready to further enhance the already good bilateral ties.

SGR, Rusumo power project

Kagame said Rwanda is especially ready to take earlier initiated joint projects including the Rusumo hydropower project and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project linking Kigali to Isaka in Tanzania.

The Rusumo Hydropower Project was supposed to have been completed last year but it remains a work in progress.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Rwanda and Tanzania ministers held regular meetings as they looked to fast-track the 521-kilometre Isaka-Kigali SGR project to facilitate transport and trade.

Suluhu thanked Kagame for sending a special envoy who came with condolence and congratulatory messages, following the death of former President John Magufuli on March 17 and the former's subsequent swearing-in as the next Tanzanian leader, respectively.

She promised Tanzania’s readiness to further strengthening its relations and cooperation with Rwanda.

With regards to the implementation of the joint projects, President Suluhu directed that a Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) meeting between Tanzania and Rwanda be convened to push the implementation of the projects and propose new areas of cooperation that are beneficial to both sides.

Other areas she wants the JPC to work on include improving the transport of fish fillets from Mwanza by Rwanda's national carrier, RwandAir, and speeding up the construction of a dry port in Isaka, in northern Tanzania. - James Karuhanga, The New Times