KEY POINTS
- Tanzania and Belarus pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation across energy, trade and agriculture sectors.
- Tanzania has proposed Belarus establish a full embassy in Dar es Salaam to ease trade.
- Both nations are finalizing MoUs on trade, energy, food security and visa arrangements.
Tanzania and Belarus have pledged to strengthen their bilateral relationship and expand cooperation across energy, infrastructure, agriculture, trade, technology, tourism and education.
The pledge followed official talks in Dar es Salaam between Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and his Belarusian counterpart, Maxim Ryzhenkov, who is on a three-day working visit at the invitation of the Tanzanian government.
Amb. Kombo described the visit as historic, noting it marks 30 years of cooperation between the two nations. He said both sides are committed to deepening diplomatic ties and removing bureaucratic barriers that slow down trade and investment flows.
One concrete proposal on the table is Tanzania’s push for Belarus to establish a full embassy in Dar es Salaam, a move Amb. Kombo said would strengthen economic diplomacy and accelerate joint development projects.
Agreements and trade frameworks in the pipeline
Both sides reviewed several agreements and memoranda of understanding nearing completion. These include a draft agreement to establish a Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, a visa waiver for holders of diplomatic and service passports, and pacts on food security and energy cooperation.
Amb. Kombo said signing these instruments will create a solid legal framework for advancing the two countries’ shared interests. He also cited Belarus’s expertise in agricultural machinery as an opportunity for Tanzania, pointing to potential investment in tractor assembly, fertilizer production and modern irrigation technologies.
According to All Africa, Belarusian pharmaceutical company BELPHARMPROM has also been invited to partner with Tanzania’s Medical Stores Department on the production and distribution of medical products, a step expected to improve healthcare access.
Tourism and direct flights on the agenda
Tanzania acknowledged steady visitor numbers from Belarus and ongoing efforts to establish direct flights between the two countries. A direct air link, officials said, would make travel easier and give bilateral trade a meaningful push.
Ryzhenkov, on his part, reaffirmed Belarus’s readiness to contribute technology and expertise to Tanzania’s national development agenda under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. He called for an expanded bilateral legal framework and emphasized cooperation on pharmaceuticals, medicine and tourism modernization.
Both ministers agreed that the relationship, built over three decades, is entering a more structured and productive phase. The Belarusian foreign minister is expected to conclude his visit tomorrow.
