Rwanda, Uganda swap prisoners ahead of diplomatic conflict resolution

As Rwanda and Uganda move closer to resolving their diplomatic conflict, both nations have swapped prisoners.

BBC reported that the presidents of both African nations prepare to meet on Friday to resolve the diplomatic row that has led to the closure of their shared border.

Uganda released 13 Rwandan nationals it had detained on charges of espionage and other security-related offences.

A day after, on Wednesday, Rwanda returned the favour by setting free 20 Ugandan nationals detained in Rwanda were released.

Rwanda's foreign affairs ministry confirmed the prisoners swap in a tweet:

UPDATE: All of the 20 Ugandan citizens released were deported or sent back to Uganda.

Read the revised statement here: https://t.co/AZu8Fq3maZ https://t.co/bunnOtCwUU

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Int'l Cooperation (@RwandaMFA) February 19, 2020

The diplomatic conflict was sparked by accusations of interference in each other's affairs.

"The withdrawal of the charges against these people does not in any way suggest that the accused are innocent of the charges for which they were being tried," Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa was quoted by the Daily Monitor newspaper.