Tanzania and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic cooperation in energy, critical minerals, healthcare, investment and economic development, with both sides stressing the need for partnerships that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
The commitment was made yesterday during a meeting between Minister for Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, and the Acting US Ambassador to Tanzania, Andrew Lentz, at the Ministry of Finance offices in Dar es Salaam.
The discussions centred on strengthening government-to-government engagement and technical cooperation in strategic areas, including Tanzania’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) development, investment and the management and value addition of the country’s natural resources.
Mr Lentz said closer engagement between experts from the two countries would be critical to advancing major strategic projects.
“Close communication and cooperation between our experts is important in facilitating the implementation of major strategic projects,” he said.
The two officials also discussed ways of improving Tanzania’s investment environment, particularly in large-scale mining and the development of critical minerals.
They emphasised the importance of stronger coordination between the government and investors to ensure major projects are implemented efficiently and generate wider economic benefits, including jobs, local business opportunities and increased value addition.
Health cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions, with Mr Lentz highlighting the recently signed five-year health partnership between Tanzania and the US, valued at US$3.1 billion.
The agreement is intended to strengthen Tanzania’s health systems, improve disease prevention and control, expand disease surveillance and build local capacity.
It also focuses on supporting the development of sustainable health systems that can increasingly be financed and managed through domestic capacity.
“We recognise the importance of investing in health infrastructure, local production of health products and strengthening institutions responsible for public health,” Mr Lentz said.
He said the partnership would help Tanzania strengthen its ability to respond to health challenges while improving access to quality and sustainable healthcare services for citizens.
For his part, Mr Omar said Tanzania saw considerable room for increased economic, financial and technical cooperation with the US.
He said Tanzania appreciated the work being undertaken by experts from both countries to strengthen financial systems, citing the development of the government securities market as an example of technical cooperation that could provide long-term benefits to the economy.
“Overall, this meeting has demonstrated the commitment of Tanzania and the United States to maintaining close cooperation in strategic areas, with a strong focus on strengthening investment, building local capacity, adding value to resources and ensuring that this cooperation delivers positive and sustainable results for citizens,” Mr Omar said.
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 Adviser Rebecca Hunter, as well as other officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
The talks underline the growing focus on ensuring Tanzania’s international partnerships translate into stronger domestic capacity, investment, economic opportunities and improved public services.
