Why Rwanda-Uganda should talk

The Rwanda closure of its border with Uganda has been a subject of intense discussions in various fora. The discussions have tended to question the efficacy of East African Community (EAC) integration.

The role of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) and its relevance in resolving the border situation has been interrogated.

Consequently, my colleagues and I have been inundated with calls from people demanding explanations. That East Africans are demanding explanation from their legislators and other leaders is a positive indicator of our integration.

For starters, the current Rwanda closure of the border is being considered within the ambit of bilateral relations. It is being handled through diplomatic and other existing bilateral channels between the two countries. Uganda and Rwanda are an integral part of our regional ecosystem.

The closure of the border is an indictment of EAC integration. As members of Eala, our position on this matter is guided and consistent with the spirit and letter of the Treaty for the Establishment of EAC.

Article 6 of the EAC Treaty outlines the fundamental principles that shall govern the achievement of the objectives of the community. These include mutual trust, political will and sovereign equality, peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness, peaceful settlement of disputes and cooperation for mutual benefits.

Additionally, Article 124 of the EAC Treaty underscores the indispensability of peace and security as pre-requisites for social and economic development - “In this regard, the partner states agree to foster and maintain an atmosphere that is conducive to peace and security through cooperation and consultations with a view to prevention, better management and resolution of disputes and conflicts between them.”

The framers of the EAC Treaty understood the complexity of intergovernmental relations and thus provided a framework for dealing with this and any other conflicts and disputes. Regional integration is an extraordinary undertaking that takes a delicate balance between national and regional interests.

It is the courage of those that pursue national interests in the broader context of a strong EAC that will deliver the dividends of our integration. A strong EAC is in no doubt in our best strategic interest. In the last couple of years, EAC has focused largely on enhancing regional trade as a key driver of our integration.

Since the establishment of Customs Union in January 2005, statistics from the EAC Secretariat shows that trade among East African Community partner states has grown by USD4 billion. For instance, in 2005, trade between the EAC states was $1.5b but has since increased to $5.5b in 2017. Trade between Rwanda and Uganda alone accounts for about $200 million.

We should focus more on creating an enabling environment for expanding our markets – investing in the “software” and “hardware” elements such as regional peace and security, building infrastructure, enact laws and policies to facilitate trade in the region.

Therefore, as members of Eala-Uganda Chapter, we would like to urge Rwanda and Uganda to work towards normalisation of ties. We also implore the two partner states to exercise restraint and refrain from the use of very toxic rhetoric that seeks to widen fault lines in our relations. There is no winner when we conflict. There is an African saying: “When two brothers fight and die, it is strangers that inherit their wealth.”

George Stephen Odongo,
[email protected]