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The United Republic of Tanzania and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam have pledged to deepen and broaden their bilateral cooperation in several key economic and social sectors, with the goal of accelerating sustainable development in both countries.
This agreement was reached following high-level talks held in Hanoi on April 28, 2025, between Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Bui Thanh Son.
The discussions, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, focused on creating new avenues for collaboration. Among the priority areas identified were the development of value-added agricultural industries—particularly in cashew nuts, fruits, and vegetables—enhancement of trade and investment, information and communication technology, education and training, private sector partnerships, rare mineral exploitation, defense and security.
Minister Kombo highlighted agriculture as a sector ripe for transformation and investment, urging the Vietnamese government to encourage its private investors to engage in Tanzania’s value chain development. He underscored that post-harvest losses and a lack of processing industries and skilled labor remain major obstacles that could be addressed through international partnerships.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Tanzania’s economy. Vietnam has made impressive progress in modernizing its agricultural sector. We believe cooperation in technology transfer, training, and investment will help us increase food security and improve the livelihoods of our farmers,” Kombo said during the meeting.
Vietnamese officials also expressed strong interest in establishing small and medium-sized enterprises in Tanzania that would add value to crops such as coffee, cotton, and cashew nuts.
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These initiatives are expected to create employment opportunities for Tanzanian youth and stimulate broader economic activity.
Deputy Prime Minister Son reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to strengthening its ties with Tanzania, calling the East African nation a “strategic and trusted partner” in Africa. He noted that Vietnam is open to expanding collaboration across all proposed sectors to foster mutual growth.
Vietnam’s economic momentum continues to gather pace. The country posted a GDP growth of 6.93 percent in the first quarter of 2025—the highest first-quarter growth since 2020—driven by strong performance in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and domestic consumption. Total trade volume reached USD 202.52 billion, representing a 13.7 percent increase from the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Minister Kombo’s visit is part of ongoing efforts to reinforce Tanzania’s global partnerships as the two nations celebrate six decades of cooperation, first established on February 14, 1964.
