By Business Insider Reporter
Tanzania and the Nordic countries will explore new areas of cooperation in business innovation, youth development, digital health and artificial intelligence during a four-day programme bringing together policymakers, businesses, researchers and young people in Dar es Salaam.
The Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden will host Nordic Week 2026 from November 10 to 13 under the theme “Discuss to Progress,” focusing on how dialogue, knowledge-sharing and partnerships can turn shared challenges into opportunities.
The initiative comes amid rapid technological change and global uncertainty, with the four countries seeking to strengthen engagement with Tanzanian institutions and stakeholders while identifying areas for longer-term cooperation.
The four Nordic ambassadors said partnerships among nations of different sizes were increasingly important in addressing global challenges and promoting balanced international relations.
“In a global landscape often dominated by major powers, small-nation alliances are vital. We bring balance. We prove that international relations shouldn’t just be about who is the biggest or the loudest, but about lifting everyone up,” they said in a joint statement.
They added that dialogue provides a foundation for mutual understanding and progress, even where participants hold differing views.
The programme will draw on Nordic experience in research, digitalisation and innovation while providing space for Tanzanian stakeholders to contribute local knowledge, priorities and solutions.
Young people will be among the key participants, with the ambassadors highlighting their role in shaping future international partnerships.
“We really look forward to engaging with young people to hear how they see the role of our international partnerships. Their voices will not only shape their own future, but also our common future as global citizens,” they said.
Four thematic engagements will form the core of this year’s programme, addressing youth cooperation, business opportunities, digital health and inclusive artificial intelligence.
The programme opens on November 10 with Denmark’s dialogue, Shared Futures: Youth Cooperation and the Role of Multilateralism in a Changing World, at the University of Dar es Salaam.
The meeting will bring together students, academics, Nordic ambassadors and the Minister responsible for Youth to examine youth participation, international cooperation and the role of multilateralism in a changing global order.
Also on November 10, Norway will host Future Needs, Future Solutions: Connecting Nordic Industry with Tanzanian Innovation at the Norwegian Ambassador’s residence. The engagement will connect Nordic companies with Tanzanian entrepreneurs and innovators, allowing businesses to present emerging industry challenges and local innovators to propose potential solutions.
On November 12, Sweden will bring the discussion to digital health and innovation through Decoding the Quadruple Helix Model: The Nordic Experience, held at the University of Dar es Salaam as part of the Tanzania Digital Health and Innovation Forum.
The session will examine how cooperation between government, industry, academia and civil society can advance digital health and emerging technologies.
Finland will conclude the week on November 13 with Towards Inclusive AI: Empowering Nordic and Tanzanian Actors. The discussion will examine how artificial intelligence can be developed and deployed more inclusively, with particular attention to equality, diversity and language representation.
Beyond the individual events, the ambassadors will engage businesses, technology hubs and researchers to explore how innovation and cross-sector partnerships can contribute to more inclusive and resilient societies. Nordic Week is an annual initiative organised by the four Nordic embassies in partnership with Tanzanian institutions, providing a platform for government, academia, business and civil society to exchange experiences and explore areas of mutual interest.
