Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has expressed optimism that relations between Uganda and Rwanda will improve soon.

“I can guarantee, that Uganda will do its share of the normalization of the relations between our two countries. I salute President Paul Kagame, the brotherly people of Rwanda and the people of Uganda,” Museveni said in one of his end-of-year tweets on Tuesday night.

President Kagame  on Sunday held what the Office of the Rwanda President described as “a positive meeting” with Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, President Yoweri Museveni’s Special Envoy, who traveled to Kigali with a message regarding the two countries’ relationship.

“Ambassador Ayebare was well received by President Kagame and they had very fruitful discussions. Soon, the two sides will be taking decisive actions to end the tension,” Museveni said.

It is the first time President Museveni is commenting on the declining Rwanda Uganda relations in months.

The presidents of Rwanda and Uganda in August signed an agreement in Angola to ease months of tensions after the two leaders exchanged accusations of spying, political assassinations and meddling.

Since then, there has been slow progress on the actual return of normalcy especially the opening of the Gatuna border which the Kigali administration closed in February this year.

Delegations from Rwanda and Uganda two weeks back failed to reach an agreement and decided to refer the matters to the head of states of both countries.

Ayebare mission

Details of the message to Kigali have not been released yet, but Ambassador Ayebare said, “thank you President Paul Kagame for warmly receiving me at Urugwiro village this evening where I delivered a message from President Museveni.”

Ayebare is the Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations.

News of the message and meeting will raise hopes of an agreement to end a year-long disagreement that has seen Rwanda close its borders.

Kagame and Museveni were once close allies but their relations have turned deeply hostile in a dispute that damaged trade between the east African neighbours.