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Rwanda Starts Talks to Use Dar As Fuel Crisis Worsens


The Monitor (Kampala)


NEWS
11 January 2008
Posted to the web 10 January 2008

By Robert Mukombozi
Kigali

FOLLOWING the post-election crisis in Kenya that has led to shortage of fuels
in neighbouring states, the Rwandan government has sent a team to Tanzania to
speed up negotiations for it to access most of her imports through the
Dar-es-Salaam port.

Rwanda has been benefiting from Tanzania's proximity to the sea but this trade
exchange has been on a low scale.



And, according to the minister for Trade and Commerce, Mr Protais Mitali, the
Kenyan crisis has created a window for the two sister states to fully utilise
the Dar-es-Salaam port as an alternative link.

"We are already in Tanzania meeting our counterparts here to agree on various
issues concerning policy, regulations and how effectively we can use this port
for the benefit of our trading among others," he told the Daly Monitor by
telephone on Wednesday.

The team comprises members from the Rwanda Private Sector Federation (RPSF) and
Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).

Among the key issues being discussed, Mr Mitali said include ways of increasing
volumes of goods entering the Rwandan market through Tanzania.

"In case we conclude a deal in this round I am sure it will go along way in
improving our trade relations. It means any future crisis in Kenya will not
affect us so much like the case has been this time," Mr Mitali said. Apart from
securing this import/export channel, Rwanda has moved to harmonise revenue
policies, regulations and tariffs with TZ.

According to the Commissioner General of Rwanda Revenue Authority, Mary Baine,
the body has also sent its personnel along to ensure that an agreement is
reached in the area of revenues.

Tax waiver

Ms Baine spoke of a tax waiver for fuel importers in this period of crisis,
particularly, those that braved to divert from Mombasa, and use the safer
Tanzania route with a major interest of averting fuel crisis in Rwanda.

"The violence in Kenya has affected us so much. We want to see how we can
assist these specific traders using the Tanzania route by giving them a tax
waiver because they have taken risks in terms of costs to ensure that their
goods reach Kigali," Ms Baine told journalists in Kigali on Monday.

She also noted that they want to make sure that this supply line becomes more
active and productive to avoid future disruption.

The taxes are going to be friendly for people importing goods through Tanzania.


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