TANZANIA and Rwanda have taken a major step toward enhancing bilateral cooperation and regional stability by signing an agreement to strengthen the visibility and facilities along the shared international border.

Hamdoun Mansour, the director of surveys and mapping in the Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development ministry signed for Tanzania while Abel Buhungu, the head of the Rwandan delegation and chargé d'affaires in the country’s mission in Sudan, signed for Rwanda.

The agreement, documented as “Agreed Minutes,” was signed yesterday in Ngara at a joint technical committee (JTC) meeting comprising land and mapping experts from both countries.

The protocol sets the framework for the development of a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MoU) to guide future cooperation on border management, the ministerial official noted, describing the signing as a milestone in bilateral relations.

 “This is a milestone in Tanzania-Rwanda relations. We are confident that both parties will implement the agreed resolutions in good faith,” he stated, while the charge d’affaires thanked the host authorities for initiating the meeting, expressing optimism about the partnership’s future.

 “We look forward to the positive impact of our collaboration and to seeing concrete results on the ground,” he stated.

As part of the JTC session, delegates jointly inspected key sections of the roughly 230-kilometer border, from the Mafiga Matatu (Kasange) marker, where the Kagera/Akagera River meets the Mwidu River.

The scan ended at Rusumo, where the Kagera River merges with the Ruvuvu (Ruvubu) River, an inspection aimed to assess the current state of the boundary, review progress in demarcation and observe human activity along the frontier, the ministerial official explained.

“This initiative aligns with the African Union’s directive for all member states to clearly define and strengthen their borders by 2027, in a move intended to promote peace, enhance cross-border cooperation and prevent conflicts across the continent,” he added.