After three years of trade disputes, the Tanzanian gov’t intends to import sugar from Uganda.

Tanzania will begin importing sugar from Uganda, marking a resolution to one of the almost three-year-old trade disputes.

During the first day of her two-day official visit to Uganda, President Samia Suluhu agreed with her host President Yoweri Museveni that Kampala will also provide her country with anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines.

According to a joint communiqué issued after the Presidents’ meeting on Tuesday evening, Uganda would send 10,000 tonnes of sugar to Tanzania to plug a production deficit.

Tanzania prohibited Ugandan sugar imports in 2019, claiming they came from third-party nations.

Over the years, Uganda has criticized Tanzania for erecting a number of non-tariff obstacles that have hampered smooth commerce between the two nations. These include limitations on sugar, milk, and truck transportation in Uganda.

The two heads of state have also asked their respective ministries to meet often in order to address trade concerns and enable commerce between the two nations to flow smoothly. Resolutions should be implemented within a month, according to the leaders.

President Suluhu’s visit would also assist transporters, as the two leaders agreed to reduce truck taxes from $500 to $10 per 100km from the Mutukula border to Dar es Salaam beginning July 1.

This will cost truckers around $150, which is comparable to what trucks from other nations pay.