Zanzibar is taking bold steps to become East Africa’s leading hub for investment, innovation, and financial services creating new jobs and opportunities for its citizens, Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, has said.
Ambassador Kombo shared this vision during a forum at London’s historic Guildhall, titled “Unleashing Zanzibar as East Africa’s Premier Investment and Innovation Hub.”
The discussion brought together investors, policymakers, financial experts, and leaders from the United Kingdom and beyond.
Organized by Alderman Professor Emma Edhem in collaboration with the Tanzanian Embassy in the UK, led by Ambassador Mbelwa Kairuki, the forum focused on practical ways to turn Zanzibar’s potential into tangible benefits for its people.
Minister Kombo emphasized that Zanzibar’s economic reforms are designed to improve livelihoods by attracting investment, fostering innovation, and creating employment opportunities.
He said the island aims to be a hub not only for finance but also for technology, commercial services, and dispute resolution benefiting citizens and businesses alike.
“Zanzibar is on a path of economic transformation that directly benefits its people. Our goal is to create jobs, attract investment, and provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs, while establishing Zanzibar as a trusted hub for business and innovation,” Minister Kombo said.
He highlighted Zanzibar’s strategic location connecting Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, combined with political stability and major investments in infrastructure, ports, energy, and digital systems.
Transparency, good governance, and adherence to international standards are key to building investor confidence, which in turn benefits citizens.
The minister said developing Zanzibar as a regional hub will boost tourism, energy, the blue economy, manufacturing, and digital services.
It will also foster partnerships with universities and research institutions, encouraging innovation and skills development, particularly for young people.
Minister Kombo called for collaboration across finance, law, infrastructure, and technology, urging investors and experts to share knowledge and resources to make Zanzibar a hub of sustainable growth.
“This forum is a step toward building lasting partnerships that will create opportunities for our people. Together, we can make Zanzibar a symbol of innovation, economic growth, and prosperity for citizens and businesses alike,” he said.
