DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzania and Qatar have moved to expand their economic partnership through a new cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, attracting investment and opening opportunities for private-sector collaboration.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed in Doha on September 28, 2026, establishes a framework for regular consultations and closer coordination between the two countries. Tanzania’s Minister for Industry and Trade, Judith Kapinga, signed the agreement alongside Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary-General Ahmad Hassein Al Hammadi, with both countries’ prime ministers in attendance.
The agreement comes as Tanzania seeks to attract foreign capital into priority sectors, including infrastructure, commercial agriculture, energy, logistics and mineral processing.
During his visit, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba also met with Qatari business councils, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and private companies interested in investing in Tanzania. Discussions identified opportunities for joint ventures in aviation, port infrastructure, renewable energy and hospitality.
Agricultural trade is another potential area of cooperation. Nchemba highlighted Tanzania’s surplus grain production and the possibility of supplying Qatari markets with agricultural commodities, as well as producing animal feed locally to reduce Qatar’s dependence on imports from distant markets.
Separately, on September 29, Tanzania and Qatar signed a double-taxation avoidance agreement designed to establish clearer tax arrangements, improve information exchange and support cross-border investment.
Together, the agreements provide a foundation for closer commercial engagement, although their economic impact will depend on the projects, financing arrangements and private-sector partnerships that emerge from their implementation.
For Tanzania, the immediate opportunity lies in converting diplomatic engagement into investment, export growth and commercial partnerships that support its long-term development priorities.
