The two neighbours have seen deteriorating relations.
There was renewed hope of a thawing of relations between Rwanda and Burundi, when East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) MPs visited the country as part of the team assessing the workings of EAC institutions and the Central Corridor.
Ndangiza Fatuma, Barimuyabo Jean Claude, Kalinda François Xavier and Rutazana Francine were the first Rwandan officials to visit Burundi since the onset of the political crisis in 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a contested third term.
The Rwandans and the other Eala legislators were well received in Bujumbura, where they visited the Ministry of EAC Affairs and the East African Health and Research Commission headquarters.
They were received by EAC Ministry assistant minister Clarette Inamahoro.
After Burundi, they will head for Rwanda via the Ruhwa One-Stop Border Post to assess its operations.
The two neighbours have seen deteriorating relations, after Burundi accused Rwanda of militarily training Burundian refugees to oust President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government, a charge that Kigali refuted.
Rwanda has also accused Burundi of sheltering FDLR rebels, who are accused of committing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Burundi banned exportation of fruits and vegetables to Rwanda in 2016, a move that not only undermines the EAC Common Market Protocol on the free movement of goods and services in the region but also starved Rwanda of the produce.
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