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Tanzania and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in energy, health, critical minerals, investment and economic development, with the two sides stressing the need to ensure strategic partnerships deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
The commitment was made during a meeting between Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar and US Acting Ambassador to Tanzania Andrew Lentz at the Ministry of Finance offices in Dar es Salaam.
The talks centred on areas with potential to influence Tanzania’s economic growth, including natural gas development, investment in critical minerals, value addition and strengthening the country’s financial systems.
Mr Lentz said closer engagement between experts from Tanzania and the US would be critical to advancing major strategic projects, particularly in the energy sector.
He also underscored the importance of continued government-to-government dialogue and technical cooperation in creating conditions that allow major investments to move from negotiations to implementation.
For Tanzania, the focus on energy is significant as the country seeks to expand its natural gas industry and unlock investment in projects such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
A well-developed gas industry could provide opportunities for employment, local businesses, government revenues and industrial development, provided local participation and value addition remain central to investment agreements.
The two sides also discussed investment opportunities in the mining sector, particularly critical minerals and the need to increase value addition to Tanzania’s natural resources.
The discussions highlighted the importance of stronger coordination between government and investors to ensure major projects are implemented efficiently and generate wider economic benefits.
For Tanzania, increasing local processing of minerals could help the country capture a larger share of the value generated from its natural resources while creating opportunities for local suppliers, skilled workers and businesses.
Health cooperation was another major component of the discussions, following the signing of a US$3.1 billion agreement between Tanzania and the United States over five years.
The partnership is expected to support Tanzania’s health systems, disease prevention and control efforts, surveillance capacity, health infrastructure and the development of domestic capabilities.
Mr Lentz said the cooperation would also support efforts to strengthen local production of health products and public health institutions.
“We recognise the importance of investing in health infrastructure, local production of health products and strengthening institutions responsible for public health,” he said.
He said the partnership was intended to increase Tanzania’s capacity to respond to health challenges while helping ensure citizens have access to quality and sustainable healthcare services.
The emphasis on strengthening domestic capacity is important for Tanzania as it seeks to build health systems capable of responding to future challenges while gradually increasing its ability to finance and manage essential services.
Ambassador Omar said Tanzania also sees opportunities for greater exchange of experience in economic, financial and technical matters.
He pointed to cooperation between experts from the two countries in strengthening Tanzania’s financial systems, including the development of the government securities market.
The minister said such cooperation could generate long-term benefits by strengthening financial markets and improving the country's ability to mobilise capital for development.
“Overall, this meeting has demonstrated the commitment of Tanzania and the United States to continue close cooperation in strategic areas, with a strong focus on strengthening investment, building domestic capacity, adding value to our resources and ensuring that this cooperation delivers positive and sustainable results for citizens,” Ambassador Omar said.
The latest engagement comes as Tanzania seeks to attract more strategic investment while placing greater emphasis on local content, skills development, value addition and stronger domestic participation in major projects.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner for Government Debt Management at the Ministry of Finance Japhet Justine, Assistant Director of Legal Services Mwantumu Sultan, US Embassy Political and Economic Counsellor Rebecca Hunter, as well as officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
