Tanzania and Egypt chart new areas of economic cooperation

DAR-Tanzania and Egypt have outlined priority areas of cooperation aimed at accelerating strategic projects in transport, ports, agriculture, energy, water and industry to expand bilateral trade, attract investment and create jobs.

The areas of cooperation were outlined today at State House in Dar es Salaam, during official talks between Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and her Egyptian counterpart, His Excellency Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The two leaders underscored the need to translate their longstanding political ties into bankable projects and stronger private-sector partnerships.

They also acknowledged that current trade volumes remain below the potential of the two economies, whereas Tanzania invited Egyptian investment in the expansion of the Port of Dar es Salaam and the development of Bagamoyo Port.

The proposed projects include a railway link connecting Bagamoyo Port to Kwala Industrial Park and the Standard Gauge Railway network.

The two countries also identified maritime connectivity and port cooperation among priority areas for future collaboration, including direct shipping services and modern cargo handling, storage and distribution infrastructure.

President Samia said the corridor would connect East and Southern Africa with Egypt, the Middle East, Asia and Europe through the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

Agriculture was identified as another priority area for expanded cooperation, particularly in irrigation, seed production, rainwater harvesting, livestock development and agro-processing.

Tanzania also invited Egyptian investors to undertake large-scale agricultural projects at Ruvu Ranch and through partnerships with the National Service, Tanzania Prisons and the National Food Reserve Agency.

President El-Sisi said Egypt is ready to participate in a flagship agricultural project under a public-private partnership model, aimed at supporting food security and expanding agricultural trade between the two countries.

The cooperation agenda will also cover education and healthcare, with a focus on specialised training, scholarships and advanced medical services. Egypt expressed readiness to provide scholarships under the current Samia Scholarship Programme in science, medicine, artificial intelligence, ICT and cybersecurity.

Egypt also expressed readiness to support the construction or rehabilitation of a referral hospital, subject to identification by the Government of Tanzania, while providing specialist medical training in cardiac, kidney, liver and cancer care.

The two Heads of State witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding covering electricity and renewable energy, as well as transport.

President Samia said implementation of the priority areas identified during the talks will be the true measure of success. _“We have agreed to move quickly. What we need now is trust, decisive action and timely implementation of what we have agreed on,”she said.

The two leaders later closed the Tanzania–Egypt Business and Investment Forum, with President Samia encouraging more Egyptian companies to establish operations in Tanzania.

“Africa’s future will be shaped by African businesses investing in Africa,”she said.

At the event, President El-Sisi identified ports, maritime transport, railways, industrial zones, infrastructure, technology and agriculture as priority areas for future economic cooperation, saying the private sector should lead value-added investments.

“We look to the private sector to develop projects that will create new opportunities for development and prosperity for the people of our two countries,”said President El-Sisi.

Egypt is Tanzania’s eighth largest source of foreign investment with 61 registered projects worth approximately 1.5 billion USD, creating more than 4,000 jobs across energy, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, tourism and services.