Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan discussed plans to launch a large-scale agricultural land reclamation project, establish a new maritime shipping route, and expand cooperation in port development, as the two countries moved to strengthen economic, trade and investment ties.
According to the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders also witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering transport, electricity and renewable energy following their talks in the Tanzanian capital.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Al-Sisi said the discussions focused on increasing bilateral trade, encouraging mutual investment and expanding private-sector cooperation across key sectors, including construction, roads, maritime transport, ports, logistics, electricity, agriculture, irrigation, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
The two presidents reviewed plans to launch an agricultural land reclamation project in Tanzania aimed at producing essential and strategic crops to enhance food security in both countries.
Al-Sisi said the project could be implemented in successive phases, with the longer-term objective of producing surplus crops for export after meeting domestic demand.
He also expressed Egypt’s readiness to participate in the expansion and development of the Port of Dar es Salaam as part of a broader regional logistics strategy designed to strengthen connectivity with neighbouring countries and facilitate regional trade.
The leaders further discussed establishing a direct maritime shipping route linking Egypt’s Safaga Port with the Port of Dar es Salaam, alongside the creation of a multimodal transport corridor connecting Cairo and Tanzania’s commercial capital through a series of joint infrastructure and development projects.
Al-Sisi called for Egyptian companies to build on the experience and expertise gained during the implementation of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project by participating in additional strategic development projects in Tanzania.
For her part, Suluhu Hassan praised the Julius Nyerere dam as a successful model of Egyptian-Tanzanian cooperation that contributes to development and shared prosperity. She reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Egypt as the country advances its Tanzania 2050 development vision.
Al-Sisi also said he had directed Egyptian institutions to expand technical assistance, knowledge transfer and capacity-building programmes for Tanzanian professionals across a range of sectors.
The two leaders also exchanged views on cooperation among Nile Basin countries. Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s hope that Tanzania would continue playing a constructive role in promoting dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation among the basin states.
The talks additionally covered developments in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Both presidents agreed to maintain close consultations on regional and international issues of mutual interest and to strengthen joint African action in addressing shared challenges.
The visit reflects Egypt’s broader strategy to expand the footprint of its companies across East Africa, deepen trade and transport links with the region, and leverage the experience gained through landmark projects such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project to support further economic cooperation.
