On May 6, 2024, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Elsie Sia Kanza, led the inauguration of the new Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce in Dallas, Texas, on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa Business Summit.
The Chamber has been tasked with overseeing the Tanzania Trade Office, inaugurated on the same day under the city’s “Foreign Trade Offices Initiative” program, aimed at further promoting and stimulating trade relations between Tanzania and the United States.
The inauguration was attended by various dignitaries, including the Mayor of Dallas, Mr. Eric L. Johnson; a representative from the U.S. Department of State, Ms. Katherine Ho; and Ms. Florie Liser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa.
Operated by the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce, the office will bolster the Embassy’s efforts to enhance trade and investment between Tanzania and the United States, leveraging Dallas’s status as a hub for trade and transportation and one of the world’s rapidly growing economies.
Mayor Johnson commented, “Today, we officially opened the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce in the Dallas International District, which will serve as a base to promote trade and tourism between Tanzania and the United States. Looking forward to this exciting new chapter in Dallas’ relationship with Tanzania.”
For his part, the Chamber’s President and CEO, Ben Kazora, emphasized that the office is also intended to stimulate US investments in Tanzania’s critical minerals, including graphite and lithium, as well as promote the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which Tanzania has not fully taken advantage of.
