A top Tanzanian official has announced plans to open a new border post with Rwanda, as part of a raft of measures to scale up ties between the two East African countries.

January Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, who has just wound up a visit to Rwanda, says the proposed border crossing will be set up in Tanzania's Kyerwa district in Kagera Region.

The two countries mainly rely on Rusumo border post to transact business.

Tanzania's top diplomat was on a four-day visit to Rwanda since March 12, leading a delegation of senior officials from the Ministries of Transport, Trade and Industry, ICT, Agriculture, Energy, and other key parastatals.

While reflecting on the key outcomes of his visit in a lengthy post on X, Makamba said President Paul Kagame reaffirmed the friendship between the two countries, describing them as "neighbours, brothers and sisters, joined by geography, history and culture -- and a shared destiny".

Reflecting on his audience with President Kagame, Minister Makamba said, "His guidance on advancing our relations was insightful."

Rwanda is the third largest user of Dar es Salaam port with more than 80 per cent of its cargo passing through it, with 1.4 million metric tonnes of cargo and 63,000 containers processed at the port in 2023 alone.

'Tanzanian farmers will benefit from Rwanda diary investment'

Makamba said: “We have also decided to work on opening a new border post in Kyerwa District in Kagera region to enable easier movement of goods and people.”

Makamba recalled that Tanzania offered Rwanda pieces of land set set up dry ports at Isaka and Kwala, urging the private sector to leverage the opportunity, and noting that Tanzania had the potential to become Rwanda’s number one trading partner.

"We’ve committed to be a reliable partner...and we’re keen to expand (business). Tanzania is Rwanda’s second largest trading partner. The potential to be first exists. We are going to work on it. Rwandans buy a lot cereals from Tanzania.

"We’ve decided to regularise this market. Rwanda has invested in diary factory in Mwanza, where farmers will get lucrative market for milk. We have ensured the success of this venture. We plan to do joint agriculture research through an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on Agriculture Cooperation that will sign in May."

He added: “Rwanda uses Tanzania broadband infrastructure for a certain amount of capacity in its connectivity. We have committed to be a reliable partner in this area and we are keen to expand this business.”

'We are friends'

“We must work together to solve common challenges and prioritise things that will improve the lives of people from our two countries. The bilateral relations between our two countries have always been excellent and they keep improving to greater heights.”

The message of President Kagame "to me and my delegation was clear: we are friends, neighbours and brothers and sisters, joined by geography, history and culture - and a shared destiny," he said. "We must work together to solve common challenges and prioritise things that will improve the lives of people from our two countries."

The Tanzania minister added, "The bilateral relations between our two countries have always been excellent. They keep improving to greater heights. As diplomats, this is what we live for: to always improve on relations."

Rwanda's Biruta weighs in

Reacting to Makamba's social media comments, his Rwandan counterpart Dr Vincent Biruta posted on X on Thursday: "Thank you Minister @JMakamba for your successful visit to Rwanda and for our rich exchanges. It was a pleasure to host you and your delegation."

He added, "Looking forward to strengthening our bilateral relations through increased trade, investment and people-to-people interactions."

Rwanda and Tanzania are both members of the East African Community, an eight-nation bloc that seeks to foster socioeconomic and political integration among member states. - Alice Kagina, The New Times