Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs, John Mulimba, with Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Usta Kayitesi.
KAMPALA, Uganda — Rwanda and Uganda on Tuesday signed a series of cooperation agreements and pledged to accelerate implementation of joint commitments, as delegations from both countries concluded a three-day meeting aimed at deepening ties after years of uneven relations.
The agreements, reached at the 12th session of the Joint Permanent Commission, cover agriculture, health, education and local government — sectors officials said would deliver more immediate, visible benefits to citizens.
The meeting, held at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala, brought together more than 15 ministries and agencies from both governments.
The commission, which last met in Kigali in 2023, is the primary mechanism through which the two countries review past commitments and negotiate new ones. This year’s session unfolded in stages, beginning with technical discussions among senior officials, followed by deliberations among permanent secretaries.
The final session was presided over by Dr Usta Kaitesi, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and John Mulimba, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation.
Both delegations described the tone as cooperative and focused, with repeated emphasis on turning diplomatic agreements into practical outcomes.
“This session is a testament to our mutual resolve to strengthen ties,” Mulimba said, describing the relationship as one “bound by history, culture and kinship.”
He added that both countries had agreed to move more quickly in implementing decisions, rather than allowing them to stall between meetings.
At the center of the discussions was a recognition that past agreements have often moved slowly.
To address that, the two sides agreed to introduce a management scorecard — a tracking system intended to measure progress and ensure accountability before the next session.
“Many times, we take our files, put them on shelves,” Mulimba said. “The scorecard will help us know what has been done and what has not.”
Rwanda’s delegation pushed for outcomes that would directly affect citizens, particularly in trade, movement across borders and access to services.
The delegations on both sides highlighted the need to remove barriers that have, at times, disrupted commerce and strained relations.
Dr. Kaitesi said the political will to improve ties remained strong, but stressed that implementation would determine the success of the process.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the decisions taken here are translated into concrete and timely actions,” she said.
The discussions covered a wide range of sectors, including trade, security cooperation, infrastructure, energy, aviation and migration.
The delegations also identified newer areas of collaboration, from agriculture and health to technology and climate-related challenges — issues increasingly described by diplomats as “problems without passports.”
The renewed emphasis on cooperation reflects a broader effort by both countries to stabilize relations and anchor them in economic and regional priorities, particularly within the East African Community.
While the agreements signed this week were limited in scope, Kigali and Kampala framed them as part of a larger shift toward faster, more measurable cooperation.
The next session of the commission is expected to take place in Rwanda, where both sides say they intend to report on completed actions rather than pending commitments.
The Kampala outcome suggests a deliberate move to stabilize a historically volatile relationship. By prioritizing delivery over declarations, the two neighbors aim to make their cooperation routine rather than episodic.
