ZANZIBAR: TANZANIA and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to deepen strategic cooperation, with transport, trade, investment, infrastructure, peace and security identified as key areas for accelerating socio-economic development in both countries.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced the agreement after holding official talks with DRC President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi during his state visit to Tanzania.
Speaking to journalists at her residence in Kizimkazi, South Region of Unguja, President Samia described the visit as a reflection of the strong historical ties between the two neighbouring countries and an opportunity to broaden cooperation in areas critical to development.
“Tanzania and the DRC are friendly, neighbouring and longstanding partners,” President Samia said, highlighting the countries’ cooperation in trade, transport and infrastructure.
Trade between Tanzania and the DRC reached 794bn/- last year, with the Port of Dar es Salaam serving as a major gateway for DRC-bound cargo through the Central Corridor.
President Samia said the two leaders held extensive discussions on implementing the Multimodal Transportation Project, which seeks to integrate port, railway, road and water transport to reduce the time and cost of moving goods.
She said the project will improve efficiency along the Central Corridor while creating greater opportunities for trade and investment between Tanzania, the DRC and other countries in the region.
Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) expansion is also expected to play a major role in strengthening regional connectivity. The railway is being extended towards the western parts of the country, with plans for eventual links to Burundi and the DRC to facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo.
The government is also upgrading ports on Lake Tanganyika, including Kigoma and Karema, while expanding water transport services through the construction of new vessels.
President Samia noted that more than 60 per cent of cargo passing through the Port of Dar es Salaam is destined for the DRC, making continued investment in transport infrastructure essential to improving efficiency and reducing the cost of doing business.
She also welcomed the DRC’s construction of the Kalemie-Manono Road, saying the project would strengthen economic and social links between communities in the two countries once completed.
Beyond infrastructure, the two leaders agreed to address non-tariff barriers, improve border services and encourage greater private-sector participation in development projects. Tanzania also reaffirmed its readiness to expand the supply of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products to the DRC and support increased regional trade in these commodities.
Cooperation in mining is another area set for expansion, with the two countries agreeing to exchange expertise, technology and knowledge on mineral extraction and value addition. Tanzania has invited the DRC to work with the East and Central African Mining Centre to promote research, training and knowledge-sharing.
Peace and security, particularly the longstanding challenges in eastern DRC, also featured prominently in the talks. President Samia pledged that Tanzania will continue working with the DRC to strengthen regional stability while promoting resilient economies, trade, investment and infrastructure development.
She also commended President Tshisekedi for measures taken to address infectious disease outbreaks, including Ebola, stressing that public health is closely linked to national security and economic development.
President Tshisekedi said the DRC shares Tanzania’s determination to strengthen cooperation in peace and security, trade and infrastructure. He announced that the two countries had agreed to revive the Joint Cooperation Commission to coordinate and improve implementation of bilateral agreements.
The DRC leader said stronger infrastructure, including roads, ports and bridges, would be essential to facilitating the movement of goods and services and unlocking greater economic opportunities between the two countries.
On public health, President Tshisekedi assured Tanzanians that the DRC has the experience and expertise needed to contain Ebola outbreaks, pointing to the country’s long experience in responding to the disease.
He also called for a new approach to Africa’s natural resources, urging countries to process minerals and other raw materials within the continent instead of exporting them in raw form. Such value addition, he said, would create employment for young people and increase government revenues.
With more than 60 per cent of Africa’s population made up of young people, President Tshisekedi stressed the need for greater investment in jobs, industries, technology, infrastructure and energy, including renewable sources such as solar power.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress of Tanzania-DRC relations and said he was leaving Tanzania with renewed optimism about the future of the partnership.