President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced that Tanzania and Rwanda have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the energy and infrastructure sectors, in a move aimed at accelerating economic development across the East African region.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam during the official visit of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, President Samia said the two countries will prioritise the expansion and modernisation of transport infrastructure to facilitate smoother trade and cargo movement.
She noted that approximately 70 percent of Rwanda’s cargo transits through Tanzanian ports, with an estimated 1.6 million tonnes handled annually.
The figures, she said, underscore the critical role Tanzania plays as a regional logistics hub and the need for continued investment in infrastructure to support growing demand.
On energy, President Samia pointed to the joint Rusumo Falls hydropower project—implemented in partnership with Rwanda and Burundi which is currently generating 80 megawatts of electricity.
She said arrangements are underway for the project’s formal commissioning, alongside the implementation of power trade agreements between the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and Rwanda’s national electricity utility.
The strengthened partnership is expected to improve access to reliable energy, a key driver for industrialisation, while also enhancing cross-border trade and economic integration.
President Kagame’s visit is seen as reinforcing bilateral ties and opening up new avenues for cooperation in strategic sectors, particularly energy and infrastructure, which are increasingly viewed as pillars of sustainable economic growth in the region.
