Dar es Salaam. Singapore and Tanzania have agreed to deepen their development and economic cooperation across several strategic sectors, including port operations, tourism, finance, transport, trade and investment, agriculture and education.
The agreement, to be implemented under the Singapore Cooperation Programme, was reached on August 28, 2025, during bilateral talks between Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, in Singapore.
As part of the initial phase, both countries are set to conclude and sign a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, regarded as a key step in attracting more trade and investment.
Dr Balakrishnan said both Singapore and Tanzania serve as strategic gateways for trade and investment, and their partnership has the potential to unlock access to more than 30 markets across Africa and Asia.
Ambassador Kombo reiterated Tanzania’s commitment to creating a safe and enabling environment for investment and highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation in areas directly affecting people’s lives, including water, energy, housing, food security, finance, education, and technology-driven production.
In his remarks, Dr Balakrishnan pledged that Singapore would widen opportunities for Tanzanian youth through scholarships and training programmes, particularly in technology and innovation, to build skills relevant to the job market and entrepreneurship.
The training will include short- and long-term courses, technical skills, and exchange programmes, enabling Tanzanian youth to gain modern expertise in areas such as digital economy, project management, renewable energy and entrepreneurship.
Over the past two decades, Tanzania has welcomed 32 investors from Singapore, with projects worth more than $500 million and creating over 3,000 jobs.
Alongside the bilateral talks, Singaporean businesses and investors also expressed interest in expanding their footprint in Tanzania during the 8th Africa Singapore Business Forum (ASBF), which opened on August 26, 2025, in Singapore.
The forum, attended by over 700 participants from Africa and Singapore, including senior government officials, investors, business leaders and financial institutions, seeks to enhance Africa-Asia cooperation in trade and investment.
Discussions focused on sharing opportunities and experiences, while also identifying joint development projects.
Tanzania attracted attention at the forum for its investment-friendly climate, underpinned by peace and stability, supportive policies and legal frameworks, and its geographical advantage as a gateway to the markets of East, Central and Southern Africa.
Speaking at the forum, Mr Kombo told Singaporean investors that Tanzania remains committed to advancing reforms to strengthen the business environment, guided by its development vision and commitment to international cooperation.
Singaporean leaders and investors underscored Tanzania’s importance in boosting Africa-Asia trade, expressing strong interest in collaboration in agriculture technology, digital services, manufacturing, and the blue economy.
The 8th Africa Singapore Business Forum is being held alongside the 5th Singapore-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from August 26 to 29, 2025.
Tanzania’s delegation, led by Minister Kombo, includes 17 business leaders who also participated in the forum’s opening sessions.
