Angola welcomes reopening of Rwanda and Uganda border

 Luanda - Angola on Friday praised the decision by the Rwandan government to reopen the common Gatuna/Katuna border with Uganda, from 31 January this year.

Following the announcement of this decision by Rwanda, the Angolan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that this step was in line with the decisions of the 4th Quadripartite Summit of the Heads of State of Angola, João Lourenço, of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, of the DRC, Félix Tshisekedi, and of Uganda, Yoweri Musseveni.

Proposed by João Lourenço, then as President of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the summit was held in February 2020, in Gatuna/Katuna, on the border between Rwanda and Uganda, with the aim of resolving the political crisis between the two neighbouring countries.

The meeting was decided in Luanda, the Angolan capital, on 2 February, 2022, during a meeting that brought the four statesmen together.

The note from the Angolan Foreign Ministry recalls that the 4th summit was held "under the facilitation of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, assisted by Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The Republic of Angola congratulates the Rwandan and Ugandan authorities on the positive evolution of this process," the document reads, noting that the Angolan government encourages the authorities of both countries to continue with efforts to normalise bilateral relations, in application of the guiding principles of the Luanda Memorandum of Understanding.

It said that Angola "welcomes such an important announcement that will have a great impact on the lives of the populations of both countries, as well as significant economic effects," and reiterated its willingness to continue to support the process of normalising relations between Rwanda and Uganda.

The Angolan authorities, the document continues, express their solidarity with the Rwandan and Ugandan people for this important achievement.

Following a border incident that resulted in the death of a Rwandan and a Ugandan in March 2019, President Paul Kagame closed the border between the two countries, blocking the trade route, which is essential for the movement of people and goods in the region.

At the time, Kagame accused his counterpart Museveni of collaborating with the Rwandan opposition and Hutu rebels to destabilise his country, while the Ugandan statesman blamed his neighbour for espionage.