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| Tanzania and Russia signed agreement on trade and economic cooperation for mutual benefits. |
The governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Russian Federation have officially opened a new chapter of strategic cooperation in the economic, education, energy, health, and infrastructure sectors. This follows in-depth discussions held over several days involving government leaders, institutions, and private sector representatives from both sides.
The talks concluded with the Tanzania-Russia Business and Investment Forum held in Arusha, which brought together investors, businesspeople, and policymakers with the aim of strengthening economic cooperation and unlocking new investment opportunities.
Speaking after the signing of 12 agreements, the Minister of State in the President's Office – Planning and Investment, Professor Kitila Mkumbo, stated that Tanzania continues to improve its investment climate to attract more capital from abroad and domestically. He emphasized the government's commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation with Russia across various sectors.
The two sides have agreed to advance the implementation of cooperation agreements signed in 2022, while also preparing new agreements that will cover the agriculture, energy, education, health, tourism, and infrastructure sectors.
Some of these agreements have already been signed, while others are expected to be signed in Moscow during the upcoming official visit of Tanzania's President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, anticipated to take place in June this year.
In the education and culture sector, an agreement has been reached to strengthen language teaching. Kiswahili will begin to be taught at six Russian universities, while the Russian language will also be taught at educational institutions in Tanzania. This step aims to foster long-term friendship and increase social and cultural understanding between the citizens of the two nations. It was also noted that over 20,000 Tanzanians have benefited from scholarship funding to study in Russia in various fields, and plans to increase more opportunities for youth are being strengthened.
In the health sector, Tanzania and Russia have agreed to collaborate in the provision of health services and drug manufacturing through various institutions. Furthermore, a plan to establish the production of health equipment like rapid test kits in Tanzania is scheduled to begin before the end of this year.
Regarding agriculture, Russia has pledged to continue distributing fertilizer, modern agricultural technologies, high-quality seeds, and productivity enhancement systems to increase the production and value of Tanzanian crops before export sales.Energy
The energy sector is described as a crucial axis of this cooperation, where Russian companies have expressed interest in investing in the exploration, extraction, and trade of natural gas in Tanzania. This cooperation is expected to boost electricity generation from natural gas.
Tourism and Transport
Tourism and Transport Reports indicate that the national carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited, expects to launch direct flights from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar to Moscow, a move that will increase the flow of tourists and investors. Furthermore, over 17,000 tourists from Russia visited Tanzania in 2025, and this number is expected to grow rapidly with the introduction of direct flights.
Economic Commitment For his part, Russia's Minister of Economic Development, Maksim Reshetnikov, said that Russia is ready to significantly increase investment in Tanzania in the agriculture, energy, industry, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. He noted that trade between the two countries has increased by approximately 20% within one year, with Russia continuing to export products like wheat, fertilizer, and industrial goods, and importing Tanzanian crops including coffee, tea, cashews, and fruits.