Uganda, Tanzania deepen cooperation on energy, trade and regional peace

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Uganda and Tanzania have agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy development, trade facilitation, infrastructure and regional peace following high-level talks held Saturday in Dar es Salaam.

The arrangements were announced during a joint press briefing by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his host, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, after bilateral discussions between delegations from the two East African neighbours.

The two leaders reviewed progress on major energy infrastructure projects, including the construction of oil and gas pipelines linking Uganda and Tanzania. 

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni welcomed by officials upon arrival at Dar es Salaam airport during a working visit to Tanzania. (PPU)

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his host, President Samia Suluhu Hassan. (PPU)

Suluhu revealed that the implementation of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Project is on course, with oil transportation expected to commence in July.

She explained that the cooperation includes plans for a gas pipeline from Tanzania to Uganda, as well as a refined oil pipeline from Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga, positioning Tanzania as a key export corridor for Uganda’s petroleum products.

On trade and logistics, the Tanzanian leader said discussions focused on improving access for Ugandan traders to Tanzanian ports, particularly Tanga and Dar es Salaam, to ease the transportation of goods. 

President Yoweri Museveni leading the Kampala delegation during the meeting with his host Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her team. (PPU)

She added that Tanzania had been requested to extend railway connectivity deeper into Uganda to facilitate smoother and more cost-effective movement of cargo.

She emphasised the need to eliminate trade barriers between the two countries, noting that while cooperation has been strong, some non-tariff barriers have persisted. 

It is understood that the two sides agreed to work towards the removal of the barriers, stressing that reducing them boosts economic growth and strengthens the East African regional market.

President Samia also underscored the commitment of both countries to continue joint energy production projects aimed at meeting domestic needs while also supplying regional and international markets.

On regional peace and security, Tanzania and Uganda discussed strategies to promote peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region. It was revealed that there is a shared plan to initiate dialogue processes aimed at resolving conflicts in the region.

Welcoming her host, Suluhu congratulated Museveni and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) on their landslide electoral victory, attributing it to the party’s manifesto and ideological clarity, and reaffirmed Tanzania’s readiness to continue working closely with Uganda.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni making his remarks during the bilateral discussions. (PPU)

In his remarks, Museveni said Africa’s independence, achieved by earlier generations of leaders, must be protected. He said true prosperity in the modern era comes from producing goods and services, selling them competitively, and generating income for citizens, which he described as a continuation of Africa’s liberation struggle.

The Ugandan leader also highlighted the importance of strategic security, saying Uganda and Tanzania have addressed several tactical security issues affecting the region during their meeting.

He added that Uganda and Tanzania discussed industrial specialisation, with Tanzania taking the lead in locomotive manufacturing while Uganda focuses on textile production.

Museveni observed that while powerful countries may exert pressure on African states, the continent’s response depends on its internal strength, unity, and economic resilience.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation for the benefit of their people and the wider East African region.