Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh has commenced a five-day official visit to Tanzania from September 16 to 20, 2024, aimed at celebrating and strengthening UK-Tanzania collaborations in health, agriculture, and women’s empowerment.
The visit will take her to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Arusha, marking a significant occasion for both nations, particularly in efforts to tackle neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and boost agricultural development.
During her visit, The Duchess is hosted by international organizations including Sightsavers, Uniting to Combat NTDs, and the Alliance of Bioversity and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).
She will engage in key initiatives that underline the UK's commitment to supporting Tanzania’s health and agricultural sectors through long-standing partnerships.
One of the key events on her itinerary is a visit to the UK-funded Magomeni Health Centre in Dar es Salaam, a facility offering critical sexual health and family planning services.
At an evening reception celebrating UK-Tanzania health cooperation, The Duchess is expected to emphasize her ambition for the elimination of trachoma across the Commonwealth by 2030.
In Zanzibar, The Duchess will observe efforts to combat lymphatic filariasis (LF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Uniting to Combat NTDs, and Unlimit Health, and will commemorate the administration of the 12 billionth Albendazole treatment, a significant milestone in the fight against LF.
Her visit to Arusha will focus on the UK’s new horticulture export accelerator program, developed in collaboration with the Tanzania Horticultural Association.
The program is designed to enhance Tanzanian exports to the UK and empower local farmers, especially women, through innovative agricultural practices and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The Duchess will also witness the collaborative work between the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, the Alliance of Bioversity International, and CIAT.
British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Marianne Young, expressed her honor in welcoming The Duchess, emphasizing the long-standing relationship between the two nations and their shared ambition to address pressing global challenges.
She highlighted the significance of the visit in showcasing joint efforts in health, agriculture, and women’s empowerment.
Godwin Kabalika, Sightsavers Country Director in Tanzania, noted the substantial progress in eliminating NTDs and stressed the importance of continued global collaboration to ensure no one is left behind.
He welcomed The Duchess’s visit as a valuable opportunity to raise awareness and encourage further cooperation in the fight against NTDs.
This is the first visit to Tanzania by a member of the Royal Family since The Prince of Wales, then Duke of Cambridge, visited in 2018