Tensions between Burundi and Rwanda have reached a new high as Burundi officially closes its border with Rwanda, a move believed to be linked to recent accusations made by Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
The president had accused Rwanda of harboring and training the Red Tabara rebel group, which claimed responsibility for an attack near Burundi’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rwanda vehemently denied these allegations.
Rwanda, caught off guard by the border closure, learned about the decision through media reports. A government spokesperson expressed disappointment, stating that the move goes against the principles of regional cooperation within the East African Community, to which both nations belong.
Yolande Makolo, the spokesperson for the Rwandan government, emphasized the detrimental impact of the decision on the free movement of people and goods between the two countries. She highlighted the violation of established regional principles, further straining relations between the East African neighbors.
“Today we closed the borders. And someone who will go there will not pass,” Burundi’s interior minister Martin Niteretse was quoted as saying by the local media.
The recent diplomatic rift adds to the longstanding tensions among nations within the East African Community. Disputes among member countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia, have persisted for years, affecting regional cooperation and integration.
The December attack, which Burundi claims resulted in the loss of 20 lives, has heightened tensions between the two nations. In contrast, the Red Tabara rebel group, operating from bases in eastern Congo since 2015, contends that it only killed nine soldiers and a police officer, as stated on the social media platform X.
The closure of the border further complicates an already delicate situation, raising concerns about the broader implications for regional stability.
