By: Ipp media

A ministerial statement said at the weekend that Mobhare Matinyi, the country’s ambassador to Sweden, made this affirmation when holding discussions with during official talks held over the weekend with Maria Malmer Stenergard, the host country’s Foreign Affairs minister.

Paying a courtesy call on the minister, Ambassador Matinyi conveyed a goodwill message from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which partly underlined that Tanzania’s growing mining sector needs to explore importing Swedish mining technology, renowned for its quality and safety.

This would enhance productivity and promote responsible mining practices, the envoy affirmed, citing this expectation as part of Tanzania’s strong commitment to strengthening its six-decade-long partnership with Sweden.

Tanzania is keen to deepen cooperation with Sweden in various sectors including energy, education, health, environmental conservation, infrastructure and industrial development, he said.

Highlighting successes of Swedish investments in Tanzania, the envoy disclosed that from 1997 to 2024, a total of 101 projects from Swedish companies were registered in Tanzania, with a combined value of $313m (790bn/-), created nearly 4,000 jobs.

They span across sectors like agriculture, construction, services, tourism and manufacturing ge said, noting that this partnerships demonstrate Sweden’s long-standing commitment to Tanzania’s development. 

“We believe the future holds even greater opportunities if we expand our trade and investment cooperation,” he stated, pointing out that Tanzania exported 12.4bn/- worth of goods to Sweden in 2023, consisting largely of coffee, fresh flowers, fish fillet, tobacco, cocoa, and wooden ornaments. 

In contrast, imports from Sweden stood at 209.8bn/-, primarily comprising high-value items such as machinery, electronics, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, hence raising the need for bridging the trade imbalance by increasing Tanzanian exports to Sweden. 

Products like tea, avocados, gemstones, cut flowers and wood-based goods have strong potential in the Swedish market, he said, appealing to Swedish tourism stakeholders to promote Tanzania as a prime destination.

Upwards of 20,000 Swedish tourists currently visit the country annually on average, he stated, while the host minister praised the depth and breadth of Sweden-Tanzania relations, now attaining 62 years.

She pledged greater development cooperation and private-sector investment, as Tanzania remains a key partner to Sweden, and the country values the role it plays not only in regional stability but also in global peace efforts.

Tanzania’s diplomatic contributions in international affairs, including its stance on the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict is among such roles, she added.