ZANZIBAR: DEPUTY Permanent Secretary in Zanzibar’s Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development, Said Seif Mzee, called for stronger commercial ties between Tanzania and Angola, saying trade between the two countries remains below potential despite decades of diplomatic relations.
The county exports significantly more goods to Angola than it imports, highlighting an imbalance that both governments are seeking to address through greater private-sector participation and investment, he said.
During the Angola Day and B2B at the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), Mzee urged businesses from both countries to expand trade and investment, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture, sectors he described as critical to industrialisation and economic growth.
He said the current engagement marks ‘the beginning of a long journey,’ with cooperation expected to extend beyond trade into education, technology and other sectors.
ALSO READ: TIRA launch Insurance Village to expand insurance education
Angola is using this year’s trade fair to showcase investment opportunities and attract local businesses as it seeks to deepen economic ties with one of East Africa’s fastest-growing economies. Angola’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Domingos de Almeida da Silva Coelho, said bilateral trade remains modest and should better reflect the longstanding political relationship between the two countries.
“Angola and Tanzania have a long-standing friendly relationship, but the priority now is to turn that friendship into commercial and investment cooperation that creates jobs and drives economic growth,” Coelho said.
He identified mining, agriculture and manufacturing as priority sectors for collaboration, adding that trade fairs such as Saba Saba serve as platforms to connect investors and unlock new business opportunities.
“This is not merely an exhibition of goods; it is a platform for building lasting economic bridges between our two nations,” he said.