Rwanda and Uganda are set to hold talks with the facilitation of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) virtually this Thursday as the two countries look to resume discussions to resolve matters that have affected their bilateral relations.
Dr. Vincent Biruta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, confirmed that the talks will resume Thursday with the Ad Hoc Commission’s 4th meeting to pave the way for the 5th Quadripartite Summit following the last one held at the Gatuna / Katuna Common Board in February.
Talks between the two countries were supposed to resume 45 days after the meeting in Gatuna but the outbreak of the Latest Coronavirus led to the suspension of all activities.
“It is true we are going to meet,” Dr Biruta confirmed. The Ministry also confirmed that talks will pick up from what had previously been agreed upon.
Following the 4th Quadripartite Summit that took place at the Gatuna / Katuna Shared Border between Rwanda and Uganda on 21 February, it was decided that Kampala would investigate the allegations posed by Rwanda in 30 days and send a report.
The Summit would convene again at the same venue in 15 days, with the aim, among other things, of fully operationalizing the border post.
“The Summit recommended that the Republic of Uganda should, within one month, verify the allegations of the Republic of Rwanda about action from its territory by forces hostile to the Government of Rwanda,”
“If these allegations are proved, the Ugandan Government will take all measures to stop it and prevent it from happening again. This action must be verified and confirmed by the Ad-Hoc Ministerial Commission for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding of Luanda,” the communique from Gatuna read.
Dr Biruta said last month that despite Uganda displaying mixed signals, relations between the two countries were on the mend despite the COVID-19 outbreak hampering the two countries’ progress.
Dr Biruta said the pandemic struck when the countries agreed on the next measures during the last summit but the Latest Coronavirus outbreak disrupted the timetable.
Nevertheless, he said the countries explored how to continue with the talks using other means such as virtual meetings.
“We have been talking to Uganda and Angola, particularly, assessing how we can continue with the talks using modern technology which can allow the Ad Hoc Commission to meet again and agree on what we can address among the resolutions we agreed on in the meantime as we wait for travel to be possible,”
“We are looking at how we can resolve some of these issues we discussed much as meetings are not possible yet and see what we can do next when the COVID-19 situation subsides,” Dr Biruta said on May 15.
He said Rwanda has received mixed signals from Uganda where, on Twitter, on one hand, Ugandan officials claim things are getting better while, on the other, more Rwandans are being arrested in Uganda.
At the time, Dr Biruta said that about 174 Rwandans were expected to be released and sent home but that the action never happened. No communication has been made on the planned release. The problem will be among those to be tabled at Thursday’s conference.
Dr. Biruta told reporters that Rwanda is looking to build on positive signals to restore Uganda ties.
On the reopening of the Gatuna One Stop Border Post, Minister Biruta said it was part of the discussion that took place at the previous Gatuna / Katuna Common Border Summit in February and that when the right time comes, it will be reopened to allow the smooth flow of goods from the north.
However, he said people’s free movement would rely to a large extent on how countries manage to deal with New Coronavirus and ensure citizens’ health.
Both President Paul Kagame and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni confirmed that they regularly discussed how the two countries could contain cross-border COVID-19 cases specifically linked to truck drivers.