Tanzania, UAE Celebrate 50 Years of Diplomacy

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo (Mb), has participated in the celebration of 50 years of relations between Tanzania and the UAE organized by the Anwar Gargash College of Diplomacy of the country.

Speaking in front of the students and lecturers of the College, Hon. Minister Kombo expressed his opinion to continue to strengthen the existing relationship and cooperation between Tanzania and the UAE and to lay solid diplomatic foundations for future generations.

Through his conversation at the college, Hon. The Minister presented congratulations on behalf of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to the President of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the people of the UAE around the world for celebrating the 53rd anniversary of their nation.

Hon. Kombo said, the United Republic of Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates have a long history of friendship and relationship since the trading days of the Persian Gulf through the Indian Ocean to the shores of Tanzania, from Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam to Mtwara.
“The solid foundation laid by the founders of these nations, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan and the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Tanzania and the UAE strengthened diplomatic relations in 1974 after joining the UAE in 1971,” said Ambassador Kombo.
He has added that the relationship has continued to be friendly and close since then and that he believes that the relationship will strengthen in the coming years.

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Hon. Minister Kombo has used the lecture to bid for business, investment and tourism opportunities in the country and to call on the citizens of the UAE to come to the country to invest and thus benefit both parties through Economic Diplomacy.
Speaking about the collaboration with Anwar Gargash College of Diplomacy, he said that the College has a relationship with the International Relations Center of Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim who this month has completed one year since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that established the relationship which was signed in December 2023, during the COP28 Conference held in Dubai.

“The signing of the agreement makes it an important tool that contributes great benefits to the existing cooperation, including long and short-term training, exchange of experience between trainers and experts, giving diplomatic lectures, and conducting joint research in areas such as the resolution of conflicts, economic diplomacy, and others,” said Ambassador Kombo.

He also used the lecture to thank the Anwar Gargash College of Diplomacy for providing training opportunities for Ministry Officers to attend a short diplomacy course at the College this year where the officers are waiting for the start date of the course and added that it is his hope that the College will also come to the country to learn the experience of Tanzania.
He said it is his belief that the training will build the Ministry’s employees the practical knowledge and experience needed to carry out their duties and develop their careers.

Ambassador Kombo is in the UAE to attend the first political and diplomatic talks between Tanzania and the UAE as part of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Tanzania and the UAE where he also participated in the 53rd anniversary of the UAE nation held on December 2 , 2024.