Singapore. Tanzania is poised to benefit from new trade, investment and educational opportunities following its participation in the Fifth Africa–Singapore Ministerial Meeting (SAMEV), which opened in Singapore on Tuesday, August 27.
The Tanzanian delegation was led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo.
The forum, which has been held biennially since 2014, brings together ministers from across Africa and Singapore to explore ways of deepening cooperation in diplomacy, trade and sustainable development.
Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, said the meeting comes at a time of major turbulence in the global economy.
He observed that trade barriers, shifting policies, rising tariffs, natural disasters and geopolitical tensions have disrupted growth across many regions.
He stressed that such challenges make it more urgent for Africa and Asia to work together on strategies that safeguard economic resilience and advance shared development.
Dr Balakrishnan identified key areas where Singapore and African nations, including Tanzania, stand to gain from closer ties.
He pointed to expanded market access for African agricultural products and minerals, investment in renewable energy and technology, education and skills training for young people, joint efforts to address climate change, and new avenues for industrial growth in digital and blue economies.
He noted that Singapore’s decision to strengthen its engagement with Africa reflects both global shifts and Africa’s own transformation, with its 1.3 billion people, abundant arable land, strategic geography, youthful population, growing stability, and vast natural resources.
He further recognised the efforts African countries are making towards economic integration, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and regional blocs such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
He said Singapore is ready to build structured partnerships with these groupings to accelerate mutual development.
The opening session of this year’s meeting was also attended by Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, underlining the growing importance of the Africa–Singapore dialogue.
For Tanzania, the discussions provide a platform to showcase its potential as a destination for Singaporean investment in agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing and digital innovation, sectors at the centre of its industrialisation and development agenda.
