Muscat: Trade between Oman and Tanzania has surged from $140 million to $350 million over the past three years, reflecting growing commercial and investment cooperation backed by the strong political commitment of both countries.
Speaking to the Oman News Agency (ONA Saud Hilal Al Shidhani, Oman’s Ambassador to Tanzania, said the two countries share deep historical and cultural ties that are now translating into rapid growth across multiple sectors.
He said recent years have seen increased exchanges of business delegations and greater participation by Omani companies in trade exhibitions in Tanzania, helping build sustainable partnerships with the Tanzanian private sector and identify new investment opportunities.
Al-Shidhani described Tanzania as a strategic gateway to East Africa due to its Indian Ocean coastline, expanding logistics infrastructure, and membership in the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), providing Omani businesses access to a regional market of hundreds of millions of consumers.
The ambassador noted that Omani investments in Tanzania have diversified significantly following the signing of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and the Investment Promotion and Reciprocal Protection Agreement in 2024. Investment spans sectors including oil and gas exploration, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, airport management, land transport, and quarantine services.
He added that Tanzanian investors are showing increasing interest in Oman’s real estate sector, attracted by the Sultanate’s stable and secure investment environment.
According to Al-Shidhani, logistics, ports, food processing, agriculture, livestock, tourism, renewable energy, mining, special economic zones and supply chains offer the strongest potential for future cooperation. He said Omani and Tanzanian ports together could serve as a key trade and re-export hub linking the Gulf region with East Africa.
With a population of around 65 million, Tanzania represents a promising market and an important entry point for Omani products and investments into East Africa, he said, expressing confidence that bilateral trade and joint investments will continue to expand with strong support from governments, chambers of commerce and the private sector.
The ambassador highlighted the role of the Omani Embassy in Tanzania in advancing economic diplomacy by connecting investors, promoting Omani exports, facilitating business partnerships, supporting participation in trade exhibitions, and showcasing investment opportunities in sectors including food industries, petrochemicals, fisheries, logistics, ports and special economic zones.
He also said the embassy is actively exploring investment opportunities in Tanzania in agriculture, livestock, tourism, renewable energy and mining.
Al-Shidhani described Tanzania as a strategic regional partner for expanding the presence of Omani products and investments across East Africa.
He noted that most agreements and memoranda of understanding signed during the June 2025 visit of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to Oman have entered the implementation phase, with executive programmes already prepared for several initiatives, including cooperation in documents and manuscripts.
The ambassador said the third session of the Oman-Tanzania Joint Committee will be held in Dar es Salaam in the coming period to review progress on bilateral cooperation and identify new areas for collaboration.
He also announced that Omani Cultural Week will be hosted in Dar es Salaam next September to promote cultural and heritage exchange between the two countries.
In another step to strengthen bilateral ties, Air Tanzania is expected to launch three weekly direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Muscat in the near future, a move expected to boost tourism, trade and business travel.
Al-Shidhani concluded by encouraging Omani businesses to seize the investment opportunities available in Tanzania and establish direct partnerships that support sustainable development and further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
