Tanzania and Angola have agreed to strengthen trade and economic cooperation by improving transport connectivity. The two countries plan to link the Lobito Corridor with the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors to boost trade and investment. This was announced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during a joint press briefing with Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço at State House in Dar es Salaam.
Despite their longstanding political and diplomatic relations, economic and commercial cooperation between Tanzania and Angola remains limited. President Samia said the two governments had agreed to organise a trade and investment forum to bring together business communities and private-sector players from both countries. The forum aims to identify opportunities for partnerships and increased commercial activities.
Transport infrastructure remains one of the major challenges to trade across Africa, making improved connectivity a priority for Tanzania and Angola. The proposed connection between the Lobito Corridor and the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors would facilitate the movement of goods and strengthen links between the two countries and neighbouring states. This initiative is expected to complement the rehabilitation of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority line and Angola’s Benguela Railway.
The two countries have also signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement intended to facilitate direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Luanda. This will reduce the need for travellers to connect through other countries, stimulating trade, tourism and other economic activities. Currently, travellers from Tanzania to Angola often have to connect through Addis Ababa in Ethiopia or South Africa.
President Samia announced that Tanzania had been invited to explore investment opportunities in Angola’s oil-refining sector, particularly through the proposed Lobito Refinery project. The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation has already begun preliminary processes to assess the possibility of partnering in the project. The two countries will also exchange expertise in the mining sector, focusing on empowering small-scale miners and increasing the value of locally produced minerals.
The visit by President Lourenço is the first state visit to Tanzania by an Angolan President in nearly four decades. The two leaders expressed their commitment to building on the historical ties between their countries by expanding economic relations and pursuing mutually beneficial partnerships. They also agreed to explore cooperation in water transport as part of broader efforts to improve transport infrastructure and facilitate trade.
The African Minerals Development Centre, headquartered in Dar es Salaam, will be promoted to attract more member countries and strengthen cooperation in the sector. President Samia called for greater promotion of the centre, citing Tanzania’s mineral training institutions as potential platforms for sharing expertise in mineral processing and value addition. The two countries aim to translate their historical friendship into tangible economic benefits.
Key points
- Tanzania and Angola agree to improve transport connectivity to boost trade and investment
- The two countries plan to link the Lobito Corridor with the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors
- Tanzania and Angola sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement to facilitate direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Luanda
