Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to deepen economic and security cooperation, placing trade, mining, transport, energy and regional peace at the centre of a renewed strategic partnership.
The commitment was reached during the official visit of DRC President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo to Tanzania from August 17 to 18, 2026, at the invitation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The two leaders held bilateral talks at State House in Zanzibar on August 18, where they reviewed relations between the two countries and agreed on measures to unlock greater opportunities for businesses and investors.
President Samia also expressed Tanzania’s solidarity with the DRC following the Ebola outbreak, saying Tanzania was ready to provide appropriate assistance to the neighbouring country.
The leaders agreed to improve the business environment and expand cooperation in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, mining and mineral processing, energy, transport and logistics, information and communication technology, manufacturing, finance and tourism.
They also emphasised the need for Tanzania and the DRC to make better use of opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area and the East African Community Common Market.
Mining is expected to become a major pillar of the strengthened relationship, with the two countries agreeing to establish a Strategic Partnership on Minerals.
The proposed partnership will cover critical minerals, geological data, mineral processing, value addition and responsible investment.
The two governments have directed their respective authorities to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding outlining priority areas of cooperation.
The DRC also expressed interest in joining the African Minerals and Geosciences Centre (AMGC), headquartered in Dar es Salaam.
For Tanzania, the development could strengthen its position as a regional centre for mineral knowledge, processing and value addition while creating opportunities for investment and technical cooperation.
The two leaders also committed to improving transport links between Tanzania and the DRC through the Central Corridor.
The cooperation will involve the ports of Dar es Salaam, Kigoma and Kalemie, lake transport services, road networks and the gradual interconnection of railway systems, subject to the necessary technical and financial studies.
The leaders also called for greater cooperation between logistics institutions and operators from the two countries to improve the movement of cargo and support cross-border trade.
Energy cooperation will similarly be expanded, with the two sides agreeing to explore opportunities in oil and gas exploration, transportation, storage and refining, electricity interconnection and renewable energy.
They welcomed efforts to position Tanga as a regional energy hub and agreed to explore possible links with existing infrastructure, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tanzania-Zambia Mafuta Pipeline (TAZAMA), where technically and economically viable.
Tanzania and the DRC also welcomed progress towards establishing a cross-border fibre-optic connection between Kigoma and Kalemie.
The two leaders directed relevant authorities to finalise technical, regulatory and security arrangements needed to implement the project.
The planned connection is expected to strengthen digital links between the two countries and support communication and digital economic activities across the border.
The two countries agreed to broaden agricultural cooperation in areas including mechanisation, innovation, seed development, livestock improvement, irrigation, fisheries and aquaculture.
The partnership will also cover agro-processing, storage, agricultural financing and capacity building.
The leaders said the cooperation should help increase productivity, strengthen food security and develop regional value chains.Security and the conflict in eastern DRC also featured prominently in the talks.
President Samia and President Tshisekedi reaffirmed their commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of the DRC.
They called for the full implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, including an end to hostilities and the withdrawal of foreign forces from Congolese territory.
The two leaders welcomed efforts to neutralise negative forces, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and stressed the importance of disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation or reintegration, as appropriate.
They also supported African Union-led initiatives and the Washington and Doha peace processes, calling for coordinated and timely implementation of the agreements.
Tanzania and the DRC further agreed to strengthen cooperation against the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources, while improving defence and security cooperation through information-sharing and capacity building.The talks also produced diplomatic commitments between the two countries.
President Samia congratulated the DRC on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2026–2027 term.
President Tshisekedi reaffirmed the DRC’s support for Tanzania’s candidature for the 2029–2030 term.
He also congratulated President Samia on her role as African Union Champion for Maternal, Child and Reproductive Health.
The two leaders said the visit had opened a new chapter in the strategic partnership between Tanzania and the DRC.
President Tshisekedi thanked President Samia, the Tanzanian Government and people for the warm welcome extended to him and his delegation.
He invited President Samia to undertake an official visit to the DRC at a mutually convenient date, an invitation she accepted.
The agreements were contained in a joint communiqué issued in Zanzibar on August 18, 2026, signalling a broader push by the two neighbouring countries to turn their longstanding political ties into deeper economic, infrastructure and security cooperation.
