Tanzania has stepped up efforts to attract more European investment and expand trade links with the European Union (EU) through the launch of the second Tanzania–EU Investment and Trade Forum for 2026–2027.
The forum, launched by the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and the EU, seeks to turn investment opportunities into projects that can generate jobs, increase exports and support economic growth.
Held under the theme “Turning Opportunities into Development,” the initiative is expected to strengthen engagement between Tanzanian businesses, investors and European companies while opening new channels for trade and investment.
The first phase will involve investment promotion missions to several European countries from September 28 to October 6, 2026. The missions will showcase opportunities available in Tanzania and seek to connect local investment projects with potential European partners.
Speaking during the launch, TISEZA Director of Investor Services, James Maziku, said Tanzania needed to do more to market its investment opportunities while maintaining strong and lasting relationships with European investors.
“We need to intensify efforts to promote the opportunities available in Tanzania and strengthen our engagement with investors from Europe,” Mr Maziku said.
The push is expected to be particularly important in sectors where Tanzania has raw materials and production potential but needs more capital, technology and markets to increase value addition.
Speaking at the event, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation official Ambassador John Ulanga said the European market remained important for Tanzanian agricultural products.
He cited coffee, fruits, vegetables, rice and cashew nuts among products with opportunities in European markets.
The forum therefore provides an avenue for Tanzania to pursue not only increased exports but also investment in processing industries that could allow more products to be processed locally before reaching international markets.
For Tanzanian businesses, increased European investment could bring access to capital, technology, expertise and international markets.
For the wider economy, successful partnerships could support industrialisation, employment and export growth.
The initiative is also expected to promote investment in green and digital sectors, reflecting growing demand for sustainable and technology-driven economic activities.
The challenge, however, will be to translate the opportunities presented at investment forums into actual projects, particularly those that create jobs, strengthen local businesses and increase the value of products produced in Tanzania.
The 2026–2027 Tanzania–EU platform is expected to provide a sustained mechanism for pursuing that goal by linking investment promotion with concrete business partnerships and market opportunities.
