Tanzania and Finland have reaffirmed their longstanding diplomatic relationship, committing to deepen cooperation across critical sectors including environment, education, trade, tourism, the blue economy, and technology. The pledge was made during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s three-day state visit to Tanzania, commemorating 60 years of bilateral relations.
Speaking at the State House in Dar es Salaam, President Samia Suluhu Hassan hailed the historic bond between the two nations as one rooted in mutual respect and shared values.
“Tanzania deeply values this long-standing relationship founded on friendship, understanding, and mutual respect — a legacy shaped by former Presidents Julius Nyerere and Martti Ahtisaari. We remain committed to further nurturing this bond,” President Samia said.
She described President Stubb’s visit as a symbol of both continuity and renewal, opening a new chapter in the countries’ diplomatic and development engagement. Discussions between the two leaders centered on expanding partnerships in forestry, trade, investment, mining, tourism, women’s empowerment, ICT, and technology transfer — areas where Finland has historically supported Tanzania’s progress.
One of the key initiatives announced was the launch of the FORLAND programme, which aims to strengthen Tanzania’s forestry training institutions. President Samia also invited Finland to join Tanzania’s clean cooking energy campaign, which seeks to ensure 80% of households adopt clean energy by 2034 to protect the country’s forests and environment.
The Tanzanian leader welcomed Finnish investment in value addition within the mineral sector, with a focus on local processing for global markets. She also emphasized the importance of boosting cooperation in the blue economy, renewable energy, and education, proposing the creation of a parliamentary cooperation framework to tackle emerging bilateral and global challenges.
Recognizing Finland’s growing interest in Africa, President Samia encouraged Finnish investors to capitalize on Tanzania’s expanding economy.
“While Finland has long been a development partner, we now welcome deeper economic collaboration as Tanzania transitions into a more robust and self-sustaining economy,” she noted.
Tourism was another highlight, with over 5,000 Finnish visitors recorded in 2024 and 1,276 arriving in the first quarter of 2025 alone. President Samia expressed optimism about further growing this sector through joint promotion and investment.
She also called for enhanced partnerships in digital education, tech innovation, e-governance, and cybersecurity.
President Stubb, marking the first visit by a Finnish Head of State to Tanzania in over 20 years, described the occasion as a celebration of six decades of friendship and a launchpad for broader cooperation.
“Tanzania is Finland’s oldest development partner. Our relationship is one built on equality in trade, politics, and development,” said President Stubb, who was accompanied by a business delegation representing ten Finnish companies.
He highlighted Tanzania’s special place in Finnish history, recalling former President Martti Ahtisaari’s influential work as Finland’s Ambassador to Tanzania in the 1970s and his role in supporting Namibia’s independence. Ahtisaari also served as a mentor to Stubb.
The Finnish president said the visit would also address shared priorities including peace and security in the region, climate change, gender equality, and reform of global governance structures, including calls to amplify African voices within the United Nations.
President Stubb expressed Finland’s readiness to collaborate on global development goals and voiced hope that both nations could serve together on the UN Security Council during the 2029–2030 term.
The state visit is expected to significantly enhance bilateral cooperation in diplomacy, economic development, education, sustainability, and innovation — laying a renewed foundation for the next chapter of Tanzania–Finland relations.