East African Community Secretary-General Richard Sezibera speaks in Arusha yesterday. PHOTO | FILBERT RWEYEMAMU
In Summary
Dr Sezibera, a Rwandan national, said the
matter had been blown out of proportion by the media, adding that the
two countries were still actively engaged in regional as well as
bilateral issues.
Arusha. Tanzania and Rwanda are engaged in
behind-the-scenes efforts to normalise relations between the two
countries, it was revealed yesterday.
East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General
Richard Sezibera said in Arusha that measures were being taken to
resolve differences between the two EAC member states.
“We will do our best to have the two countries
resolve what led to this state of affairs. I don’t want to go into
detail on what is happening behind the scenes. Most of these diplomatic
efforts are handled away from the media,” he said.
Dr Sezibera said strained relations between
Tanzania and Rwanda were of concern to the EAC because “disagreements
are not good for the community”.
“The issue has to be resolved…I’m sure it will be
resolved diplomatically,” he told journalists in his first public
reaction since relations between the two countries began to sour earlier
this year.
Dr Sezibera, a Rwandan national, said the matter
had been blown out of proportion by the media, adding that the two
countries were still actively engaged in regional as well as bilateral
issues.
“A Tanzanian ministerial delegation has been in
Kigali lately for discussion with their Rwanda counterparts,” he said,
and cautioned the media to carefully handle information that could
further damage relations between the two countries. Dr Sezibera
dismissed reports that Rwanda and Uganda were contemplating to stop
using Dar es Salaam port and questioned the authenticity of the
information which, he added, did not originate from Rwandan officials.
“These reports are news to me. I have not heard that and EAC has not been notified,” he said.
The EAC boss also refuted reports that Rwandan President Paul Kagame of Rwanda had skipped several regional summits.
“Unfortunately, I have not recorded the attendance
of regional leaders in the summits, but President Kagame was in Nairobi
during the EAC Ordinary Summit,” he said.
Relations between Tanzania and Rwanda chilled in
May when Mr Kagame reacted angrily to President Jakaya Kikwete’s
suggestion that Rwanda talks to FDLR rebels operating from the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Kagame’s angry response was followed by a
string of attacks on President Kikwete and Tanzania by Rwandan
government officials and a section of the country’s media. Dr Sezibera
yesterday avoided commenting on the Tanzanian proposal, but said armed
groups which were responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda were still
active in the Great Lakes Region.
source: The citizen
source: The citizen
