Kigali. Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, has held high-level talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the Presidential Palace in Kigali, with both sides underscoring their commitment to strengthening the longstanding ties between the two neighbouring countries.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 16th Session of the Tanzania-Rwanda Joint Permanent Commission (JPC), provided a platform for reflection on the progress made in various areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as deliberation on emerging opportunities for economic and strategic collaboration.
Ambassador Kombo, who was in Kigali for an official working visit, conveyed greetings from President Samia Suluhu Hassan and reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to working closely with Rwanda in advancing mutual interests, particularly in infrastructure development, trade facilitation, security cooperation, and regional integration through the East African Community (EAC).
The three-day JPC session, held from 24 to 26 July 2025, brought together senior government officials and technical experts from both sides to assess the implementation of previous commitments and chart new areas of cooperation.
Delegates discussed a range of bilateral matters, including cross-border infrastructure projects, energy partnerships, education and health cooperation, and enhanced collaboration in agriculture and tourism.
In their discussions, President Kagame and Ambassador Kombo welcomed the outcomes of the JPC meeting, which resulted in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting collaboration in priority sectors.
The two leaders also underscored the importance of regular dialogue and reciprocal visits as mechanisms for fostering trust and achieving tangible outcomes in bilateral engagements.
President Kagame expressed appreciation for the cordial and brotherly relations that have continued to characterise Tanzania-Rwanda ties over the decades, noting that sustained cooperation between the two countries was pivotal to regional peace and prosperity.
The JPC remains the principal institutional framework guiding bilateral relations between Tanzania and Rwanda, having been established to monitor, evaluate, and promote cooperation in all spheres of mutual interest.
This year’s session reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to fast-tracking the implementation of joint projects, including the development of transport corridors linking Tanzanian ports to Rwandan markets, as well as the strengthening of information exchange mechanisms between key institutions.
Ambassador Kombo’s visit to Kigali reflects Tanzania’s broader foreign policy posture under the 2024 Foreign Policy and External Relations Policy, which prioritises economic diplomacy, regional solidarity, and people-centred partnerships.
The Tanzanian delegation is expected to return to Dar es Salaam later this week, having concluded what officials have described as a “fruitful and forward-looking” engagement with their Rwandan counterparts.
