DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania and Austria have pledged to deepen bilateral relations aimed at boosting sustainable trade and investment, officials said following high-level talks in Dar es Salaam.
The commitment was made during meetings between Tanzania’s Deputy Minister in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, Pius Chaya, and Austria’s Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs, Hannah Liko, who is on a three-day visit to the country.
Chaya outlined Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2050, which targets transforming the country into a $1 trillion, industrial-led economy, driven by key sectors including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, mining and the blue economy.
“Tanzania is positioning itself as a strategic gateway to a regional market of over 450 million people,” Chaya said, citing an average economic growth rate of 6.1% over the past two decades as evidence of a stable investment environment.
He welcomed Austria’s Africa Strategy, which focuses on promoting trade and strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), noting that Austrian investments in Tanzania remain modest but growing.
Data from the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) shows that as of February, 17 Austrian projects worth $36.14 million have been registered in Tanzania, creating 871 jobs across sectors including agriculture, industry and energy.
Austria’s Liko said her visit aims to expand economic cooperation and align bilateral engagement with Austria’s Africa Strategy 2026–2029.
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She highlighted opportunities for collaboration in education, employment and tourism, and commended Tanzania for effective implementation of European Union-funded development projects, particularly in road infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Denis Londo, said the country is ready to strengthen strategic cooperation with Austria and has created a favourable environment for foreign investors.
He invited Austrian companies to invest in sectors such as industry, agriculture, trade and mining, adding that increased global industrialisation underscores the need for greater exchange of expertise, technology and skills between the two countries.
Liko also said Austria would continue offering scholarships to Tanzanian students and expand cooperation with institutions such as Arusha Technical College, as part of broader efforts to support skills development and sustainable growth.