Uganda’s new consulate in Tanzania opened

Nov 26, 2023

Uganda and Tanzania enjoy warm, cordial, and fraternal relations dating back to the 1960s when the two countries gained their independence from the British Empire.

Top government officials who attended include the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda's High Commissioner to Tanzania Fred Mwesigye, Deputy Attorney General Jackson. (Courtesy photo)

Michael Odeng

Journalist @New Vision

_________________________

Uganda officially opened its new consulate in Arusha, Tanzanian on November 25, 2023.

This was after the Tanzanian Government upgraded the former East African Community (EAC) Liaison office to a consulate in 2021.

Top government officials who attended include the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda's High Commissioner to Tanzania Fred Mwesigye, the Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuzi, and Ann Katusiime, the Head of the Uganda Consulate in Arusha.

“I was a guest of honour at the official opening of the Uganda Consulate in Arusha. Our new address at Haile Selassie Avenue, Here with DSG Anette Mutaawe Semuwemba and Anne Katusiime Consul General,” Kadaga said on X, on Saturday, November 25.

Uganda and Tanzania enjoy warm, cordial, and fraternal relations dating back to the 1960s when the two countries gained their independence from the British Empire.

Both countries are members of the African Union, Commonwealth of Nations, East African Community, Non-Aligned Movement, and Group of 77.

Tanzania is a strategic partner of Uganda in many areas, particularly trade, security, education, agriculture, and energy.

The Uganda–Tanzania Crude Oil Pipeline (UTCOP)/East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is a proposed pipeline to transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil fields to Tanga, Tanzania, a port on the Indian Ocean.

The 1,443km pipeline will transport Uganda's crude oil from Hoima in Uganda to the Chongoleani peninsula near Tanga in Tanzania. About 296km of the pipeline will be hosted in Uganda and the remaining 1,147km in Tanzania.

The development comes at a time when Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to abolish visa requirements for their citizens to boost cross-border trader and East African Community integration.

According to official data, Uganda earned $241m in trade surplus from the DRC in 2020, and an estimated $177m in informal trade exports, which pushes the figure to $418m in trade earnings.