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Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Tanzania, Rwanda deepen ties with new transport and trade commitments
Tanzania and Rwanda have taken significant steps to deepen their bilateral cooperation, with renewed commitments in air connectivity, railway development, and the promotion of Kiswahili. Tanzania and Rwanda formalized bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation in air connectivity, railway development, and Kiswahili promotion. The treaties were signed during the 16th Joint Permanent Commission meeting in Kigali, focusing on strengthening trade and dialogue. Infrastructure projects, including the standard gauge railway linking the nations, are under feasibility studies. The agreements were signed by Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Tanzanian counterpart Mahmoud Thabit Kombo during the 16th Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) in Kigali. The ministers underscored the JPC's role in strengthening bilateral dialogue and trade cooperation, with a planned liaison office in Kigali expected to streamline port services for Rwandan importers and exporters. Nduhungirehe commended Tanzania's role in boosting Rwanda's economy through enhanced operations at the Dar es Salaam port, which handles over 70% of Rwanda's international trade, according to Xinhua. Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, stated that Rwanda is among Tanzania's top air travel partners, alongside Kenya. He noted that RwandAir operates daily flights between the two countries and described this level of connectivity as very encouraging, emphasizing its importance in strengthening bilateral ties. In addition to acknowledging RwandAir's service quality and performance, Kombo revealed that 90 percent of Tanzania's delegation, including himself, arrived in Kigali via RwandAir. He expressed optimism about the prospect of Air Tanzania resuming flights to Kigali, a route that was previously suspended. Plans are also underway for Air Tanzania to introduce cargo services, leveraging its large cargo fleet to support Rwanda's freight needs. Railway connectivity, language diplomacy, and regional integration Beyond aviation, Kombo confirmed that both governments are committed to implementing more ambitious infrastructure projects. One of the key projects under consideration is the standard gauge railway (SGR), which is expected to link Tanzania and Rwanda. He mentioned that technical matters such as feasibility studies and route planning are already being addressed at the ministerial level in Tanzania, to improve the transport of goods between the two nations. The Tanzanian minister also praised Rwanda for making Kiswahili one of its four official languages, alongside English, French, and Kinyarwanda. He described this as a commendable move, especially given that Tanzania hosts the headquarters of Kiswahili for the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and UNESCO. He stated that Tanzania has a responsibility to do more and is prepared to provide Rwanda with additional support, including Kiswahili books and teachers, to strengthen Kiswahili education in the country. Quoting UNESCO, Kombo noted that over 200 million people now speak Kiswahili across the continent, making it the most widely spoken language in East and Central Africa. He also highlighted the broad areas of collaboration between the two countries, stating that both sides had agreed to intensify cooperation in several sectors, including political and diplomatic consultation, defense, security, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development, ICT, energy, and health.
Zawya
06-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Cyprus Foreign Minister to Visit Tanzania to Deepen European Union (EU)–Tanzania Partnership
The visit to Tanzania, taking place from 8 to 10 July, is made on behalf of the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas. Minister Dr. Constantinos Kombos will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and other senior Tanzanian officials to discuss EU–Tanzania relations, democratic governance, and economic cooperation under the Global Gateway strategy. Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Constantinos Kombos, will visit Tanzania from 8 to 10 July on behalf of the European Union's (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, as part of efforts to strengthen the EU's partnership with Tanzania and engage in high-level discussions on regional and global issues. During his visit, Minister Dr. Constantinos Kombos will meet with Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, as well as members of civil society, business leaders, and other key stakeholders to discuss EU–Tanzania relations, the upcoming 2025 General Elections, economic cooperation under the Global Gateway strategy, and regional security developments, notably in the Great Lakes region. Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Dr. Constantinos Kombos said: 'Tanzania is a trusted and stable partner in a strategically important region. As we celebrate 50 years of EU-Tanzania relations this year, the EU is committed to scaling up our cooperation – from investing in critical raw materials and digital transformation to supporting democratic values and inclusive growth. Together, we can unlock new opportunities that benefit both Tanzanian citizens and European partners.' EU Ambassador to Tanzania and the East African Community, Christine Grau, highlighted the significance of the visit: 'This visit underscores the EU's commitment to a mature and strategic partnership with Tanzania, based on mutual interests. Following the visit of Foreign Minister Kombo to EU Headquarters in April, this visit is a reflection on the continuous strong engagement of the European Union with Tanzania.' During the visit, political developments of common interest, regional developments and economic cooperation will be in the focus. This follows Tanzania's Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo's April 2025 meetings in Brussels with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Director General for International Partnerships Koen Doens, and European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Thomas Östros to advance political dialogue, investment, and sustainable development. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community.
The Star
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Tanzania, Malawi end trade standoff after diplomatic talks
DAR ES SALAAM, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania and Malawi on Friday ended their trade standoff after bilateral discussions that reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening trade, fostering economic cooperation, and resolving existing issues. A jointly-signed communique issued on Friday after a bilateral meeting between senior officials of the two countries said they agreed to lift trade restrictions, pledging to finalize legal frameworks required for the signing of the Simplified Trade Regime Agreement (STRA). Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing the relevant legal framework for the STRA and to implementing it upon completion of domestic legal processes by May 30, said the communique signed by Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Mahmoud Thabit Kombo and Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Gladys Tembo. According to the communique, Malawi appreciated Tanzania's decision to lift the import ban on plant and plant products from Malawi, which Tanzania imposed on April 23. In reciprocity, the government of Malawi committed to issuing an administrative instrument to the relevant authorities to facilitate imports and exports between the two countries, with effect from the date of this communique, said the communique. Tensions began in March after Malawi imposed restrictions on selected agricultural produce from Tanzania, escalating in April when Tanzania implemented reciprocal measures. Tanzania also imposed similar restrictions on South Africa, which had blocked agricultural imports from Tanzania. However, in a public notice issued on April 25, Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe confirmed that the restrictions had been suspended, effective April 23. The ban was officially lifted on April 26 following diplomatic overtures from Malawi and South Africa, aimed at fostering dialogue and strengthening cooperation.
