Tanzania and Belarus have agreed to deepen their diplomatic and economic cooperation following high-level talks held in Dar es Salaam between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Amb. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and the Foreign Minister of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, who is in the country for a three-day official visit.
The talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding practical cooperation in key sectors including agriculture, energy, health, education, tourism and trade, as both countries seek to turn diplomatic relations into tangible economic benefits for their citizens.
In the discussions, Tanzania emphasized the need to improve economic diplomacy by reducing bureaucratic procedures that slow down trade and investment.
The country also proposed that Belarus establishes a full diplomatic mission in Dar es Salaam, a move expected to speed up engagement between businesses, investors and government institutions.
Agriculture was highlighted as a strategic priority area, with Tanzania expressing interest in learning from Belarus’s experience in agricultural mechanisation.
Cooperation is expected to focus on the supply and possible joint production of tractors, fertiliser technologies and irrigation systems to help increase productivity and support food security for Tanzanian farmers.
In the energy sector, Tanzania invited Belarus to explore investment opportunities in oil and gas development, renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and hydro power, as well as strengthening domestic gas infrastructure.
These investments are expected to support industrial growth and improve access to reliable energy for households and industries.
Health sector cooperation also featured prominently, with both sides discussing ways to enhance local production of medicines and medical equipment.
The Belarusian pharmaceutical company BELPHARMPROM has expressed interest in working with Tanzania’s Medical Stores Department (MSD) to improve availability of essential medical supplies and strengthen the health supply chain system.
In education, Belarus reaffirmed its commitment to continue offering scholarships to Tanzanian students, particularly in medicine, for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in higher education and skills development, especially in engineering, artificial intelligence and data science, through partnerships with institutions such as Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), the State University of Zanzibar and Mzumbe University.
Tourism and trade cooperation were also discussed, with both sides noting the growing number of Belarusian tourists visiting Tanzania, which has recently surpassed 6,000 visitors.
Efforts will be made to further promote Tanzania as a key tourist destination while also increasing exports of local products such as coffee, avocados and flowers to the Belarusian market.
Officials from both countries said the talks reflect a shared commitment to transforming long-standing diplomatic relations into practical cooperation that directly benefits citizens through job creation, technology transfer, improved services and expanded economic opportunities.
The visit by the Belarusian Foreign Minister is expected to pave the way for new agreements that will further strengthen ties between the two countries and support Tanzania’s broader development agenda.
