Tanzania, Russia Deepen Trade and Transport Ties During Samia visit

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s state visit to Russia has opened a new phase in Dar es Salaam’s push to expand economic ties with Moscow, with talks focused on trade, tourism, minerals, transport and investment. The three-day visit included a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and comes as Tanzania seeks broader partnerships beyond its traditional Western allies as reported by DW.

The visit is being closely watched because it is the first trip to Moscow by a Tanzanian head of state since Julius Nyerere visited in 1969. Hassan travelled with a business delegation, underlining the commercial focus of the trip at a time when both countries are looking to deepen cooperation through new business channels.

One key area is aviation. Air Tanzania has been preparing to launch flights linking Dar es Salaam and Moscow, a move expected to support tourism, cargo movement and business travel between the two countries. Tanzanian and Russian officials have also discussed broader cooperation in agriculture, energy, education, science, technology, logistics and tourism, according to reporting by The Citizen.

The economic track builds on earlier agreements signed in Arusha in May, when the two sides advanced cooperation across several sectors, including tourism, health, agriculture, energy, education and transport, according to ATTA.

Hassan is also expected to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Russia has sought to highlight its foreign partnerships despite reduced Western participation since the Ukraine war, as noted by AP.

For Tanzania, the visit fits its long-standing nonaligned foreign policy, while also offering a platform to attract investors and present the country as a stable East African destination. For Russia, the talks reinforce Moscow’s wider effort to rebuild political and economic influence across Africa through trade, transport links and diplomatic engagement.