Is Kagame looking for an alternative route to sea?

PUBLISHED ON March 12th, 2019

Is Kagame looking for an alternative route to sea?

IN SUMMARY

The souring of relations between the two neighbours has been simmering for years now, and worsened last week when Rwanda closed the Gatuna border post.
The planned SGR line linking Mombasa to landlocked Uganda and Rwanda has lagged behind schedule, largely due to financing constraints, doubts over its economic viability, and the high cost of construction and indecisiveness of some partner states.
Rwandan officials met their Tanzanian counterparts for discussions on reinforcing trade and collaboration between the two countries. The East African learned that no agreements were signed.
In view of the recent developments, President Kagame would be anxious to get this project done soon to clear the logistical nightmare that would arise were Uganda to block goods destined for Rwanda from passing through its territory.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame was in Tanzania this past week on a two-day visit, seen as a quest to firm up relations with Dar in the wake of escalating tensions with Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Kagame, who arrived in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, held private talks with President John Magufuli, in what is perceived as a quest to have the Tanzanian leader mediate in the security and commercial dispute between Kampala and Kigali.

The souring of relations between the two neighbours has been simmering for years now, and worsened last week when Rwanda closed the Gatuna border post.

In recent weeks, Kigali has complained that Uganda has been subjecting its citizens to illegal arrests and torture. Kampala had earlier accused Rwanda of transporting goods through the common transport corridor in breach of the provisions of the East African Community Common Market Protocol, and held tens of Rwandan trucks for weeks before releasing them.

LANDLOCKED

Rwanda, a small landlocked country, is served by two major transport corridors — the Central Corridor that runs from Dar es Salaam through Tanzania’s heartland, and the Northern Corridor that runs from Mombasa through Kenya and Uganda.

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