Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA and Burundi have agreed to bolster bilateral ties in several key sectors, among them infrastructure, trade and investment, agriculture, mining, health, communications and security.
The agreement was reached yesterday in the country’s capital, Dodoma, between President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Burundi counterpart, Evariste Ndayishimiye during a tete-a-tete held at Chamwino State House.
The Burundian top leader is in the country for a three-day State Visit which kicked off yesterday. The visit is a replication of President Samia’s two-day visit she made in Burundi in July 16 and 17, 2021 respectively.
After their bilateral talks, the two leaders addressed a media conference where they expressed their commitments for long-term diplomatic relations between the two East African countries.
According to president Samia, Tanzania remains a true friend and a relative who wants to see that the great lakes region is calm, secure and with peace and security.
“Also, the Tanzanian government joins our Burundian counterparts to condemn terrorist attacks that occurred on September 18 and 20 which caused six deaths and over 50 injuries as well as destruction of properties,” she said, adding that this was one of the agendas in the meeting so as to see how best to address security matters.
The Tanzanian president further commended the government of Burundi for economic transformation, insisting that because of the prevailing peace in that country the economy was continuing to be stronger than ever before.
On works and transport, she noted Tanzania and Burundi had agreed to widen its railway network by having a railway between Uvinza- Msongati- Itega, whereas 160 kilometers are in Tanzania while 80 kilometers are in Burundi, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has expressed interest in joining the project.
“In January this year, the three countries signed an agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding in efforts to help the two brotherly countries to transport cargo via the Dar es Salaam port, especially nickel minerals from Burundi’s Musongati Nickel to the Dar port so that they can go to the international market,” she said.
She added that already the Tanzanian government had issued mining licence to Kabanga Nickel Mining to put up a mining processing factory here in order to increase the market for Burundian nickel in Tanzania.
On trade and investment, president Samia said due to Covid-19 pandemic, trade between the two countries had gone down, but during their meeting yesterday, they agreed that they should see how to resolve the current bottlenecks so that the two countries further bolster the ties.
The president further talked of the ongoing fertilizer crisis in the world, insisting that he sent the Minister for Agriculture in Burundi to see how the fertilizer producers can rescue the situation.
“Today, Mr President has assured me that the first lot of the consignment will be in Tanzania any time soon,” she added.
At a media briefing, President Ndayishimiye said his country was still lagging behind in the mining sector, therefore a team of experts from Burundi was ready to lean from their Tanzanian counterparts in the sector and that already a MoU had already been signed.
He further said that Burundi was also eying transportation business between Tanzania, Zambia and DRC, that is why it was in final stages of rehabilitation of the Bujumbura Port, expressing optimism that sooner than later business would prosper.
“The government of Burundi pays tribute to Tanzania for a pledge to construct dry ports at two different areas which will reduce transportation costs and help traders who risk fine at the Dar es Salaam port in an event their cargo has overstayed,” he noted.
Meanwhile, President Ndayishimiye used the occasion to pay tribute to Tanzanian government’s support to entice SADC Member States so that Burundi becomes a member in the block.
He further asked the international community to lift the ban on the remaining economic sanctions, thanking the East African Community (EAC) member States for its efforts to ensure that the sanctions were removed.
He said there were still a few sanctions that were yet to be removed, asking the international community to lift them for the best interest of the development of his country.
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