Nduhungirehe’s remarks at the opening of Rwanda, Uganda talks KIGALI, Sept. 16, 2019 The Luanda MoU signed on 21st of August 2019 in Angola is indeed an important milestone towards sustainable peace and security in our region. Rwanda and Uganda, as Minister Kuteesa said, share historical ties that should normally build a strong, strategic alliance given the longstanding bonds linking the two peoples and countries. As neighbours and partner states of the East African Community, we share a common vision of peace, security and economic integration, and we are bound by the protocols we’ve signed, especially the protocol on peace and security, on common market, protocol which provides for free movement of people, goods, services and capital, as well as right of residence and establishment. Nonetheless, there are concerns that continue to hinder our bilateral relationship and good neighbourliness. Those concerns include active support provided to elements hostile to Rwanda, the arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of innocent Rwandans in Uganda, and acts of economic sabotage. The Luanda MoU was entered into so these concerns can be addressed. The Memorandum was a culmination of a process, which started in Kinshasa in May and continued in Luanda in July under the facilitation of the Presidents of Angola and DRC. Permit me to recall that this facilitated process follows other rounds of bilateral engagement between Uganda and Rwanda at the level of heads of intelligence, attorneys general, ministers of foreign affairs, and Heads of State. It should be our collective commitment that the Luanda MoU will be the final and decisive process that will bring back normalcy, trust and confidence between our two sisterly countries. I recall that following the Quadripartite Summit in Luanda in July 2019 a technical team of the two facilitators was established and visited both Rwanda and Uganda to collect information and evidence and establish the facts about the concerns I just mentioned. Based on this commendable work by Angola and DRC the facilitators came up with the proposal of the MoU that was signed in Luanda. We should therefore view this process as a new opportunity and momentum for normal relations and good neighbourliness between our two nations. Much as the signing of the MoU was important its good faithful implementation is the decisive factor, this is what our citizens expect from us, it is the reason this meeting of the Ad hoc commission was convened here in Kigali. I wish to mention that our collective assignment here is the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding. Rwanda is fully committed to the realisation of the objectives of the MoU, we will not be found wanting. We welcome the facilitators to monitor and, where necessary, guide the steps we take to achieve full and meaningful implementation. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to conclude by once again welcoming our Ugandan brothers and sisters to Rwanda. I hope that our closed session will be an opportunity of Gusasa Inzobe as we say in Kinyarwanda – a moment of truth, resolve and concrete action. This is the only thing that our two peoples expect and deserve. I thank you! Editor’s Note: Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe is the State Minister in charge of East African Community in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda.
