Rwanda and
Uganda are committed to implementing the agreement signed in August in Luanda the capital city of Angola to ease tension between them, government officials from both countries said
Monday.
Presidents
Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) in Luanda, witnessed by Presidents Joao
Lourenco of Angola and Felix Tshisekedi of the DR Congo.
On Monday,
government officials from Rwanda and Uganda were locked for hours in a private
meeting in Kigali, as they sought to find ways to cease hostilities that have
led to trade and travel restrictions.
In an open
morning session, Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa said his
country desires to “fully implement” the agreement.
“The MoU
underlines the scale of Pan Africanism and is vital to our social economic
development. Our two countries have long historic socio-economic and cultural
ties and the closure of borders has disrupted communities, separated families
and disrupted trade and movement of goods and people,” Kutesa said.
“Uganda is
home to millions of people from Rwanda who are recognized as Ugandan citizens
by our constitution. The people of our two countries are anxious and need to
see progress. Therefore, we should consider the immediate steps to finding
solutions.”
Rwanda’s
Minister of State for the East African Community, Olivier Nduhungirehe, added
that the country is “fully committed to the realization of the objectives of
the MoU and we will not be found wanting.”
“Much as the
MoU signing was important it is good faith implementation that is the decisive
factor. That is what our citizens expect from us,” he said.
“As
neighbours and partners of EAC, we share a common vision of peace, security and
economic integration and we are bound by protocols we have signed especially
the protocol on peace and security, and the common market protocol which
provides free movement of people, goods and services and capital,” Nduhungirehe added.
Nduhungirehe and Kutesa were scheduled to hold a joint press conference
after the private meeting. - Africa
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