Kagame And Museveni In Historic Border Post Meeting That Has Diffused Heavy Tensions Between The Two Countries
21 February 2020
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Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame in historic meeting

Paul Nyathi|President Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame of Rwanda have held a historic meeting at a border between the two countries to discuss the impasse arising out of the closure of the common border by Rwanda.

The meeting was held at the no-man’s land in Katuna between Uganda and Rwanda.

Aimed at stabilising the relations between Uganda and Rwanda, the summit was being mediated by the President of Angola, João Lourenço and Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi.

In a communique issued after the meeting, the meeting recommended that Uganda will verify the allegations by Rwanda about the actions of forces hostile to Rwanda operating in Uganda. 

If the allegations are true, the Uganda government will take measures to stop it and prevent it from happening again. The action must be verified and confirmed by the Ad-Hoc ministerial commission for the implementation of the memorandum of understanding of Luanda.

Once this recommendation is fulfilled and reported to the heads of state, the facilitators will convene, within 15 days, a summit, in Gatuna/Katuna, for the solemn re-opening of borders and subsequent normalisation of the relations between the two countries.

For nearly a year, the common border at Katuna has been closed, with Rwanda accusing Uganda of hosting elements that are hostile to the Kigali government.

First to arrive at the venue was Museveni while his three counterparts led by Kagame arrived minutes later. All leaders came by road.

The standoff

Trouble started in February 2019 when Rwanda government closed its border with Uganda and even issued a travel advisory barring Rwandans from traveling to Uganda.

In March last year, Rwanda publicly accused Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels bent on overthrowing the government.

The rebel groups Rwanda government accuses Uganda of supporting include the Rwanda National Congress and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

Last week on Friday Uganda and Rwanda delegations held fruitful talks in Kigali during which measures for ending the impasse between the two countries were agreed upon.

The two countries agreed to resume collaboration among their security organs which had been stopped when the relationship between the two countries collapsed at the beginning of last year.

The Kigali ad hoc committee meeting was a follow-up on the February 2, 2020 summit of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda President Paul Kagame which transpired in Angola’s capital of Luanda.

Both parties committed to further verify the number and the status of nationals of either party detained in each other’s country and to report back in a three weeks’ time.

The two parties resolved to be committed to the need to protect and respect the human rights of nationals of either party in observance of the rule of law and international humanitarian law and by ensuring that the due process is followed.

Both governments agreed on the need to finalize the extradition treaty to be signed in the presence of the Heads of State at the fourth Quadripartite Summit that is happening Friday.

Sources: News Agents