• Tanzania and Rwanda signed two cooperation agreements to boost farming and trade.

• One deal focuses on port access for Rwanda to lower freight costs via Tanzania.

• The two nations continue to strengthen ties in trade, transport, and regional growth.

Tanzania and Rwanda have signed two cooperation agreements to strengthen their partnership in agriculture and trade, according to a July 26 statement from Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first agreement focuses on the exchange of expertise, technology, and information to increase agricultural production, improve food security, and create new trade opportunities.

The second agreement establishes a Port Authority office in Kigali. This aims to improve Rwanda’s access to port services, reduce freight costs, and promote greater use of Tanzanian ports as the main transit route for goods entering Rwanda.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe said the agreements were crucial to boost economic growth, improve food security, and deepen both diplomatic and social ties between the two countries.

The deals were signed during the 16th session of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation. They are part of a broader strategy to build a long-term strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of both populations and their shared development goals.

Tanzania and Rwanda continue to deepen their cooperation in several sectors while supporting regional development and economic integration under the East African Community. In March 2025, the two countries reaffirmed plans to work together on trade, infrastructure, and investment.

They also back the planned railway line between Kigali and Isaka, which is expected to improve regional connectivity. More than 70% of Rwanda’s trade moves through the Port of Dar es Salaam via the Central Corridor, making Tanzania a key logistics partner, according to Minister Nduhungirehe.

In May 2025, the two nations also expanded their cross-border military cooperation to fight illegal activities.

On the trade front, Tanzania’s exports to Rwanda grew at an average annual rate of 3.82%, rising from $156 million in 2018 to $188 million in 2023. In contrast, Rwanda’s exports to Tanzania fell by 36% during the same period, according to data from The Observatory of Economic Complexity. In 2024, total trade between the two countries was estimated at $167 million, according to the International Trade Centre.

Lydie Mobio