Diplomats and intelligence chiefs from Rwanda and South Africa held their first bilateral meeting in Kigali, a fortnight ago during which Foreign Affairs ministers of both countries set up a technical committee that is expected to come up with a roadmap to restore relations.
On June 6 and 7, a technical committee of top officials from both countries held a closed-door meeting in Kigali to iron out the long-standing differences, after which they are expected to produce and present a progress report to their respective Foreign ministers.
“The Rwanda-South Africa technical committee, established by the two ministers of foreign affairs a couple of weeks ago, has just concluded a productive two-day meeting in Kigali,” Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation tweeted last week.
There is no definite date set yet for the minister’s meeting. According to a source who attended the meeting — attended by ambassadors, immigration and intelligence chiefs — both countries had demands and expectations.
Top of its list of demands, Rwanda wants South Africa to reinstate visa services for ordinary Rwandans, which have been suspended since March 2014.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had in 2018 said that this issue would be resolved “quickly”. Three years later, nothing has changed.
