Written by: Badr Ahmed

Relations between Egypt and Tanzania are witnessing rapid development, reflecting the priority of economic cooperation between the two countries in various trade, investment and development fields. The economic file has become a key focus in all meetings and mutual visits during recent years, which enhances the African partnership and serves the goals of common development.

Bilateral relations received a strong boost during Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s visit to Tanzania in 2017, where both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the areas of investment, trade, and knowledge transfer, in addition to Egypt’s support for capacity-building, training, and development projects, including well drilling and infrastructure, as well as expanding cooperation in the tourism, pharmaceutical, and livestock sectors.

Enhancing economic integration between Egypt and Tanzania through major projects and investment opportunities

Cooperation between the two countries encompasses a variety of frameworks, including trade, investment projects, and technical support through institutions such as the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, which continues to provide training and development programs to African countries. The investment sector stands out as the most rapidly growing, with dozens of Egyptian companies active in the Tanzanian market in the fields of contracting, infrastructure, and energy.

The Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station project is one of the most prominent examples of cooperation between the two countries, as it is being implemented by major Egyptian companies such as Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric, with a capacity of up to 2,115 megawatts, and with investments estimated at about 7 billion euros, which reflects the ability of Egyptian companies to compete in major continental projects.

Recent years have also witnessed an increase in official visits, with officials from both sides discussing cooperation in industry, transportation, and energy in 2025, as well as supporting partnerships in infrastructure projects. Cairo has also hosted Tanzanian delegations to discuss cooperation in urban development and to explore how Egypt can benefit from its expertise in building new cities.

In the same context, technical delegations from the Central Bank of Tanzania visited their Egyptian counterparts to learn about Egypt’s experience in financial cybersecurity, reflecting the expansion of cooperation to include modern technological sectors.

On the investment front, 2023 witnessed the launch of major industrial projects, including an Egyptian industrial city in Tanzania aimed at attracting diverse investments in the fields of pharmaceuticals, building materials and food industries, in addition to providing tens of thousands of job opportunities and enhancing industrial integration between the two countries.

Egypt also organized trade missions and participated in Tanzanian exhibitions to promote exports, especially in the chemical, building materials and food industries sectors, reflecting the interest of the Egyptian private sector in expanding its presence in the Tanzanian market.

These developments confirm that Egyptian-Tanzanian relations have become a model for African cooperation based on development and investment partnership, with continued efforts to enhance economic integration, increase the volume of trade exchange, and support infrastructure and energy projects, in order to achieve the interests of the two peoples and enhance the position of the two countries within the African continent.