By Correspondents Josephine Majura and Saidina Msangi, Dodoma
The government has signalled a renewed push to deepen bilateral ties with Spain, positioning the partnership as a catalyst for sustainable growth, infrastructure expansion and climate resilience.
Speaking in Dodoma, the Minister for Finance, Khamis Mussa Omar, said Tanzania is ready to collaborate with Spain across priority sectors including sustainable economic development, infrastructure, climate action and human capital development.
The remarks came during a high-level meeting with the Spanish Ambassador to Tanzania, Paloma Serra Robles, who was on an official introductory visit.
The engagement underscores a broader shift in Tanzania’s economic diplomacy, as the country seeks to align foreign partnerships with its long-term development agenda while attracting capital into strategic sectors.
Omar noted that the government is keen to mobilise concessional and commercial financing from Spain to support development projects with nationwide impact, particularly those that can accelerate inclusive growth and improve service delivery.
“Tanzania and Spain share a longstanding relationship, with Spanish firms already active in sectors such as tourism and development projects,” he said, adding that the partnership is expected to expand further through increased business-to-business linkages between Tanzanian and Spanish companies.
The minister extended an open invitation to Spanish investors, emphasising ongoing reforms to improve the business climate, including fiscal incentives and investment frameworks tailored to large-scale projects. These measures, he said, are designed to position Tanzania as a competitive destination for foreign direct investment in East Africa.
A key highlight of the partnership is Spain’s financial support for the Msimbazi Basin Development Project in Dar es Salaam. Through a concessional loan of approximately US$30 million, the project aims to mitigate flooding, strengthen environmental conservation and enhance urban resilience – an increasingly critical priority as cities confront the growing risks of climate change.
Beyond project-level cooperation, the discussions also reflected confidence in Tanzania’s macroeconomic fundamentals. The minister pointed to steady economic growth, with GDP expanding by 6.4 percent in the third quarter of 2025, up from 6.1 percent in the same period a year earlier. Inflation has remained contained at around 3.5 percent as of December 2025, within both national targets and regional benchmarks set by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This macroeconomic stability, Omar said, continues to strengthen investor confidence by providing a predictable environment for long-term capital deployment.
The minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to deepen international partnerships that deliver tangible economic and social outcomes.
For her part, Ambassador Serra Robles reiterated Spain’s commitment to supporting Tanzania’s development agenda, particularly in transport infrastructure and high-impact social projects. She noted that existing collaborations, including the Msimbazi initiative, demonstrate the potential for scalable partnerships that deliver both economic and environmental value.
The meeting brought together senior government officials, including Permanent Secretary and Paymaster General Natu El-maamry Mwamba, alongside technical experts from the ministries of finance and foreign affairs.
As Tanzania accelerates its infrastructure and climate resilience agenda, the strengthening of ties with Spain reflects a broader strategy to diversify development partnerships, leverage concessional financing, and integrate sustainability into economic planning. For investors and policymakers alike, the evolving Tanzania–Spain relationship offers a glimpse into how targeted bilateral cooperation can support structural transformation while advancing shared goals of inclusive and sustainable growth.
