Dar es Salaam. The Tanzanian government has intensified its economic diplomacy push this week, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, holding back-to-back high-level meetings with both the European Union (EU) and Nordic country ambassadors in Dar es Salaam.
On Wednesday, October 22, Ambassador Kombo met and held discussions with Ambassadors of EU Member States resident in the country.
The talks, held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre, focused on exploring opportunities to strengthen economic and social diplomacy between Tanzania and the European Union.
This followed a crucial meeting on Tuesday, October 21, where Minister Kombo hosted the Ambassadors of the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland) to discuss concrete ways of advancing cooperation in trade, investment, and sustainable development.
The Nordic meeting, a follow-up to the Africa-Nordic Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, earlier in October, saw the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) present a draft cooperation strategy between the Nordic nations and Tanzania.
Mr Kombo expressed gratitude for the Nordic partners’ long-standing relationship with Tanzania since independence, noting achievements in education, health, energy, good governance, and rural electrification.
He announced that the New Tanzania-Nordic Cooperation Strategy aims to elevate economic diplomacy and attract investment, shifting focus away from traditional aid.
Tanzania is targeting to attract $1 billion to $1.5 billion in investment from the Nordic region through 17 priority projects under TISEZA.
These projects focus on nine key sectors, including renewable energy, infrastructure, vocational education, the blue economy, industry, forestry, and trade, with a strong emphasis on technology, innovation, and inclusive employment.
To facilitate this, the government proposed the establishment of a Joint Investment Financing Fund in collaboration with Nordic financial institutions such as Norfund, Finnfund, and Swedfund.
The discussions with the Nordic envoys also underscored the importance of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance in creating a stable and appealing environment for business and investment.
The Nordic Ambassadors pledged to strengthen cooperation, focusing on an equitable economic framework and promoting reciprocal trade and investment.
Contributing to the meeting, the President of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Mr Vicent Minja, stressed the necessity of full private sector participation in implementing the strategies.
He highlighted the private sector’s role as the engine of economic growth and investment in strategic areas like manufacturing, agribusiness, the blue economy, and renewable energy.
Mr Minja further proposed the formation of Tanzania–Nordic Investment Forums to connect businesses, simplify technology exchange, and enhance the international competitiveness of Tanzanian products.
He concluded by stressing the need for stable policies and a friendly business environment to ensure sustainable opportunities for investors in the country.
