Tanzania, Kenya Meets To Revive Cooperation

Tanzania and Kenya revived their Joint Commission for Cooperation in a move to improve relations between the two nations.

Presidents John Magufuli and Uhuru Kenyatta directed their Foreign Affairs ministers to look into all the issues of the commission and ensure all are met before 2016-end.

In recent years the relations between Tanzania and Kenya were sluggish and revival of the commission became necessary to improve ties.

Earlier this year in March Tanzanian authorities detained passports of Kenyan officials who were on a fact-finding mission for the best route of Ugandan oil pipeline.

Among the officials was Energy CS Charles Keter too who was detained.

The two leaders downplayed perceptions of the frosty relations on Monday in Kenyan capital Nairobi and said to be improving cooperation in trade and security.

Briefing to the media during a joint press conference at State House in Nairobi the Tanzanian President said, “We speak often with President Kenyatta on the phone, but because phone calls don’t always get seen in public, some people don’t know. Today, I want to say that we have always been in touch.”

Magufuli added he visited Kenya to cement cordial relations between the two countries and termed the neighbors as number one partner in Africa.

However, Magufuli also added the interests of his citizens come first to help them move forward by paying taxes and fighting corruption.

Uhuru said as the two countries share common ideals and principles, the visit by Magufuli was important.