Dar es Salaam. Tanzania and Zimbabwe have agreed to deepen economic ties by focusing on key sectors such as mining, agriculture, and opportunities available under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area to boost trade between the two nations.
The agreement was reached during bilateral talks between the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Mpango, and Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Kembo Campbell Mohadi, who is on a two-day official visit to Tanzania.
During the discussions held at State House in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, August 30, 2025, Dr. Mpango invited Zimbabwean businesses to purchase Tanzanian products, including food items such as rice and manufactured goods such as roofing sheets and cement.
Diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Zimbabwe date back to 1980, following Zimbabwe’s independence. In 1982, the two nations established the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) to strengthen collaboration in defense, trade, agriculture, tourism, mining, health, education, and culture.
According to a statement from the Tanzanian Vice President’s Office, the two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the historic solidarity forged during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, in which Tanzania played a key supporting role.
“Tanzania and Zimbabwe have agreed to build on their existing relations while preserving the shared history of the two nations,” the statement said.
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The two countries further pledged to maintain a common stance on international platforms by advancing shared interests, including continued opposition to sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
Trade between the two nations has been steadily growing. Tanzania’s exports to Zimbabwe rose from TSh 21.1 billion in 2017 to TSh 115.9 billion in 2023. In the same year, Zimbabwe’s exports to Tanzania reached approximately TSh 25 billion.
