Senior commanders from the Rwanda Defence Force and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force have agreed on urgent, coordinated measures to curb cross-border smuggling and other illegal activities along the Rwanda–Tanzania frontier.
The resolutions were reached on the opening day of a three-day bilateral meeting of border commanders, focused on strengthening joint security operations and addressing emerging threats affecting communities on both sides of the border.
The meeting, taking place from March 24–26 in Karagwe District, brings together Rwanda’s 5th Division and Tanzania’s 202 Brigade, units responsible for securing border areas.
As part of the engagements, commanders conducted joint field inspections in key hotspot zones and held community outreach sessions to assess security gaps and raise awareness. Residents were cautioned against illegal border crossings and unlawful fishing in shared water bodies.
The inspection covered areas including Nyarubare and Katwe in Kyerwa District, and Nyakakoni village in Kayisho on the Tanzanian side, bordering Rwimiyaga Sector in Rwanda—zones identified as vulnerable to illicit movement.
Officials flagged multiple unauthorized crossing routes—rivers, wetlands, and porous stretches along the Akagera River—as major conduits for smuggling and other transnational crimes.
Both sides underscored the need for intensified patrols, intelligence-sharing, and sustained joint operations to dismantle illegal networks and safeguard border security.
