The visit, undertaken at the invitation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is expected to focus on expanding partnerships in trade, investment, education, technology, skills development and infrastructure.

Officials say the trip marks an important milestone in relations between Tanzania and Singapore, which established diplomatic ties in 1980 and celebrated 45 years of cooperation last year.

Over the decades, bilateral relations have expanded from diplomacy into trade, technical cooperation, education and multilateral engagement, reflecting growing strategic interests between the two nations.

Despite being geographically distant, Tanzania and Singapore share similar post-independence development experiences, with both countries emerging from colonial rule in the early 1960s and pursuing ambitious economic transformation programmes.

One of the key expected outcomes of the visit is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations between Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement is expected to establish a formal framework for regular political dialogue, consultations on issues of mutual interest and mechanisms for implementing priority areas of cooperation.

Economic cooperation is expected to dominate discussions during the visit as trade between the two countries continues to grow.

According to official figures, Tanzania’s exports to Singapore increased from 43 million US dollars in 2020 to nearly 183 million dollars in 2022 before easing to about 142 million dollars in 2023.

Tanzania maintained a positive trade balance during the 2020–2022 period, driven by rising demand for Tanzanian products in Singapore.

Major Tanzanian exports include cocoa beans, coffee, cloves, frozen fish, copper and precious stones, while imports from Singapore mainly comprise machinery, fuels, chemicals, electrical equipment, medical supplies and other manufactured goods.

While bilateral trade remains below its full potential, opportunities for expansion are significant as Tanzania positions itself as a gateway to East and Central Africa while Singapore strengthens its status as a global trade and logistics hub.

Singaporean investment in Tanzania has also grown in recent years, particularly in the energy, manufacturing, transport and infrastructure sectors.

One of the most notable investments involved Singapore-based Pavilion Energy, which acquired a 20 percent stake in Tanzania’s offshore gas Blocks 1, 3 and 4, highlighting investor confidence in the country’s natural gas sector.

Data from the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) show that between 1997 and July 2025, Tanzania registered 36 projects involving Singaporean investors valued at approximately 535 million US dollars, with the potential to create more than 3,200 jobs.

Human capital development has also emerged as an important pillar of cooperation between the two countries.

Tanzanian professionals and government officials have benefited from scholarships, technical training and capacity-building programmes under Singapore’s Cooperation Programme, particularly in governance, economic management and digital innovation.

The newly launched Singapore–Africa Partnership Leading to Growth and Sustainability (SAPLINGS) programme for 2026–2028 is expected to further strengthen cooperation through training initiatives, scholarships and study visits in areas such as sustainability, healthcare, financial technology, smart cities and water management.

Technical and vocational education partnerships have also expanded through collaboration between Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education and Tanzania’s Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), contributing to industrial skills development and workforce training.

Beyond bilateral ties, Tanzania and Singapore cooperate through multilateral platforms including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

President Tharman’s visit reflects the growing strategic importance of Tanzania–Singapore relations as both countries seek stronger partnerships to support industrialisation, digital transformation and sustainable economic growth.

The visit is expected to reinforce decades of diplomatic friendship while opening new opportunities for trade, innovation and investment cooperation in the years ahead.

Notes to Editors

· Singapore President H.E. Tharman Shanmugaratnam is undertaking a three-day State Visit to Tanzania at the invitation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

· The visit underscores the growing importance of Tanzania–Singapore relations as both countries seek to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education, technology, skills development and sustainable economic growth.

· Tanzania and Singapore established diplomatic relations in 1980 and have maintained strong bilateral ties for more than four decades.

Media Contact:

Information Services Department and Office of The Chief Government Spokesman

E-mail: maelezotv@gmail.com

Phone: +255 754 750 765; +255 754 698 856; +255 759 714; +255 713 381 904

Availability: EAT, UTC +3