Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA and Rwanda Joint Permanent Committee (JPC) held its 15th session in Dar es Salaam yesterday by strongly committing the two countries’ resolve to cement bilateral relations.
The meeting dwelt on reviewing the status of implementation of the 14th meeting held in Rubavu, Rwanda from April 29th to May 1st this year, and categorised in three clusters namely political and diplomatic consultations, infrastructures and transport as well as trade and industry.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, told members of the press that the ministerial level meeting was preceded by that of experts, and the one of permanent secretaries from the two countries.
“We have also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the defence cooperation, which aims at strengthening cooperation and collaboration in defence matters,” Minister Mulamula said.
She went on to detail that other areas included infrastructures, where the construction of the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) stretch to Rwanda was among the top discussed topics. Other areas discussed, according to her, included exchange of diplomatic experts and students from Center for Foreign Relations (CFR) of Tanzania and Rwandan Institute of Democracy.
This will start early 2022 and aims at cementing unbreakable bilateral ties of the two countries. The Minister also said that trade; finance, agriculture and human skills transfer with the focus of ICTs were also included in the new agreements reached in yesterday’s meeting.
“We also discussed and agreed cooperation in sectors of natural gas and petroleum exploration as well as electricity purchasing from Rusumo project, which is being developed,” she said.
For his part, Rwanda Minister for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation Dr Vincent Biruta said that the agreement reached had blessings from the two countries’ Heads of State.
“When President Samia Suluhu Hassan paid a visit to Rwanda August this year and met President Paul Kagame, they discussed various issues that helped fast-track the agreements reached today,” Dr Biruta said.
“This creates vibrate cooperation to citizens of our countries to trade and explore opportunities. Remember Rwanda relies on Tanzania’s sea port for 70 per cent of our imported and exported cargoes,” he said.
He was delighted that the agreements reached will be effected under the set tight schedules and deadlines of implementing them.
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