PORT LOUIS: Tanzania and Egypt have agreed to deepen diplomatic and economic ties, with a focus on expanding cooperation in trade and energy, as both countries seek to strengthen partnerships across Africa and the Indian Ocean region.
The commitment followed talks between Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo and Egypt’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs Mohamed Abu Bakar Saleh Fattah on the sidelines of the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis.
The officials said they would build on longstanding historical ties to boost cooperation in key sectors including trade, investment, energy, infrastructure and industrial development, aiming to support economic growth and job creation in both countries.
Bilateral trade between the two countries remains modest but is expanding. Tanzania exported goods worth about $35.7 million to Egypt in 2024, driven largely by tobacco, coffee and agricultural products, according to UN Comtrade data. Meanwhile, Egypt exported about $48.6 million worth of goods to Tanzania in the same period, including iron and steel products, plastics, electrical equipment and sugar.
Earlier data shows total trade reached around $51.4 million in 2021, heavily skewed in Egypt’s favour, highlighting room for growth as both sides push to rebalance and expand volumes.
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The ministers also discussed coordination on regional and global issues, calling for stronger African unity in addressing shared challenges such as climate change, security risks and sustainable development. Both sides highlighted the importance of collaboration in international forums, including efforts to promote the blue economy and sustainable use of marine resources.
The talks come as African countries increasingly push for intra-continental trade and energy partnerships under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), aiming to reduce external dependencies and boost resilience amid global economic uncertainty.
Separately, Kombo held discussions with Seychelles’ Foreign Minister Barry Faure to expand bilateral cooperation between Tanzania and Seychelles. The two sides reviewed existing ties in trade, investment and security, and explored further collaboration in tourism and maritime sectors.
Both meetings underscored a shared push to translate diplomatic engagement into concrete economic gains, particularly in trade, infrastructure and maritime cooperation, as countries in the Indian Ocean region seek to strengthen integration and safeguard growth.