Rwanda President Kagame Visits Tanzania for Talks on Trade and Infrastructure

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for a one-day working visit on Sunday, May 3, 2026, where he held a private meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The two leaders then addressed reporters at a joint press conference, focusing on bilateral ties.

AllAfrica reported the visit occurred amid efforts to bolster regional trade and economic integration in East Africa.

Kagame and Suluhu discussed ways to improve systems for handling increasing trade volumes and to speed up shared development initiatives. Kagame stated: 'Tanzania is indeed a key partner for Rwanda. He added that the talks centered on managing growing trade and accelerating joint projects.

She noted that most Rwandan exports pass through Tanzanian ports and outlined agreements reached during the discussions. Suluhu said: 'In our discussions, we agreed to accelerate cooperation by removing non-tariff barriers, strengthening trade and investment, and investing more in transportation and logistics infrastructure, communications, as well as reliable energy.

Trade data underscores the economic ties between the two nations.

Rwanda imported goods worth $709 million from Tanzania, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry's 2024/25 report. This amount represents more than 10 percent of Rwanda's total import bill, making Tanzania the country's second-largest import source after China. Within the East African Community, Tanzania stands as Rwanda's leading import partner, ahead of Kenya and Uganda.

Official data shows Tanzania facilitates around 70 percent of Rwanda's maritime cargo through the Port of Dar es Salaam. These figures highlight Tanzania's role as a critical gateway for landlocked Rwanda's access to global markets via the Central Corridor. The visit aligns with ongoing efforts to enhance cross-border movement of goods and expand cooperation in infrastructure and investment.

Private sector representatives in Rwanda welcomed the engagement, noting its potential to boost trade efficiency. Faustin Karasira, chief operating officer of the Private Sector Federation, told The New Times that the relationship supports businesses reliant on Tanzanian routes, with a large share of Rwanda's imports and exports passing through Tanzania.

Karasira added that the corridor also strengthens trade links with countries such as Zambia and Mozambique, facilitating shipments of essential commodities like sugar and maize.

He said: 'It is a great development for Rwandan businesses to have the President visit them. Karasira further stated that the private sector appreciates Kagame's commitment to advancing business interests at national and regional levels. The discussions reflect a push toward deeper integration, with commitments to harmonize trade frameworks and improve transport systems.

The visit's timing, reported in an article published on May 4, 2026, emphasizes the strategic weight of these bilateral relations in ensuring supply chain stability and reducing transport costs for Rwanda.