- SpaceX set to launch mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Boeing strike grinds on as latest talks fail to reach agreement
- Iran 'news' sites, hackers target Trump ahead of US election
- US ports brace for potential dockworkers strike
- Japan's speedy, spotless Shinkansen bullet trains turn 60
- US hurricane deaths rise to 44, fears of more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Global stocks mostly rise, cheering Beijing stimulus
- Europe en route for Moon with new simulator, says astronaut Pesquet
- Fireworks forecast if comet survives risky Sun flypast
- Argentina judge orders dictionary to delete pejorative definition of 'Jewish'
- Global stocks rise on rate hopes, Beijing stimulus
- S.African woman turns 118, among the oldest in the world
- UK clears $4 bn AI partnership between Amazon, Anthropic
- Barca fans barred from Champions League away game over racist banner
- Chinese stocks extend surge, Europe higher on Beijing stimulus
- Pope says Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse
- China caps week of 'bazooka' stimulus for ailing economy with rate cut
- Cuts, cash, credit: China bids to jumpstart flagging economy
- France's debt weighs heavier ahead of budget debate
- Iran treads carefully, backing Hezbollah while avoiding war
- Return to sender: waste stranded at sea stirs toxic dispute
- 'Broken' news industry faces uncertain future
- On remote Greek island, migratory birds offer climate clues
- Taken from mother by nuns, victim seeks answers as pope visits Belgium
- China cuts amount banks hold in reserve to boost lending
- Hong Kong, Shanghai extend surge as China optimism boosts markets
- Vietnam president reiterates support for Cuba during official visit
- Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
- Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate's grim choice
- Florida bracing for 'unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene
- Poverty rises to over 52 percent in Milei's Argentina
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala Harris
- Champagne houses abuzz over English sparkling wine
- Macron, Trudeau pledge to work for 'decarbonized' economies
- Hurricanes, storms, typhoons... Is September wetter than usual?
- China stimulus, tech optimism boost stock markets
- 'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene races towards Florida
- Macron meets Trudeau in Canada as both face political setbacks
- South Korea surges in UN innovation index
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala
- Floods threaten Niger's historic 'gateway to the desert'
- China economy hopes boost global equities
- Ubisoft shares sink after 'Assassin's Creed' delay
- German economy to shrink again in 2024: think tanks
- Hong Kong's New World Development replaces CEO Adrian Cheng
- Swiss central bank cuts rate again amid strong franc worries
- Germany's BASF to focus on 'core units' in major overhaul
- China admits economy facing new 'problems', vows to fix property sector
- Stock markets boosted by China hopes, tech rally
Rwanda to reopen Uganda border in boost to ties
Rwanda said Friday it would reopen its land border with Uganda next week after a three-year closure, a major breakthrough in repairing relations between the neighbours.
The move follows a visit to Kigali by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's powerful son Muhoozi Kainerugaba last weekend, when he and Rwandan President Paul Kagame pledged to restore relations.
The border was abruptly closed in February 2019 as political tensions between Kigali and Kampala spiralled, with the two East African nations trading accusations of espionage, abductions and meddling.
Rwanda's foreign ministry said in a statement that the main Gatuna border post, known as Katuna in Uganda, would reopen on January 31.
"The government of Rwanda remains committed to ongoing efforts to resolve pending issues between Rwanda and Uganda and believes that today's announcement will contribute positively to the speedy normalisation of relations between the two countries," it said.
The move was hailed by the African Union as a "positive step" towards normalising relations.
There was no immediate official statement from the Ugandan government.
But Kampala's envoy to the UN, Adonia Ayebare -- who is also Museveni's most trusted foreign policy aide -- said on Twitter: "This means a lot to people of both countries. Well done for this important step in restoring strong bilateral ties between the two countries."
- 'Roadblocks removed' -
The border closure devastated two-way trade, which was dominated by exports from Uganda to its smaller neighbour.
"We can see the two governments are trying to create a new direction after a long standoff and a few roadblocks have been removed," said Ugandan security analyst Fred Egesa.
Kainerugaba, the commander of Uganda's land armed forces, is rumoured to be positioning himself as a possible successor to his 77-year-old father, who has ruled Uganda since 1986.
Museveni and Kagame were close allies in the 1980s and 1990s during struggles for power in their respective countries, but relations turned deeply hostile.
Rwanda abruptly closed its border with Uganda in 2019, accusing Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels seeking to topple Kagame.
Uganda in turn accused Rwanda of spying as well as killing two men during an incursion into Ugandan territory in 2019 -- a claim Kigali denied.
Friday's announcement follows a decision by Museveni on Tuesday to replace the country's powerful intelligence chief, Major General Abel Kandiho.
Rwandan officials in recent years had accused Kandiho, who has been moved to a role as security envoy to South Sudan, of working with dissidents to kidnap Rwandan citizens in Uganda.
"For purposes of harmony between the two countries it was important Kandiho was deployed elsewhere," analyst Egesa said.
The United States in December slapped sanctions on Kandiho, who had been the commander of the feared Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence since January 2017, accusing him and his office of involvement in human rights abuses including beatings, sexual assault and electrocution.
- 'Smear campaign' -
Talks to try to ease tensions between Kagame and Museveni were previously hosted by Angolan President Joao Lourenco and Congo leader Felix Tshisekedi, with the last such meeting taking place in February 2020.
No meeting has been held between the two leaders since, partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Relations between the two countries also soured after an investigation last year found that Rwanda had used Israeli Pegasus spying software to hack into the phones of Uganda's prime minister and foreign minister, among others.
Kigali dismissed the claims as part of a "smear campaign".
Before the border closure, Ugandan exports to Rwanda -- predominantly cement and food -- totalled more than $211 million in 2018, according to World Bank figures, while Rwanda exported $13 million worth of goods to Uganda.
Trade tumbled in 2019, with the situation further exacerbated by the Covid crisis.
strs-txw/ri
U.Ndiaye--CPN