New British High Commissioner to Tanzania to Strengthen Bilateral Relations

Sarah Cooke, the new British High Commissioner to Tanzania, committed to strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Cooke made the announcement when she arrived in Dar es Salaam on August 24, 2016 to take up her appointment.

She said: “[…] The United Kingdom and Tanzania enjoy a strong, longstanding partnership, and work closely together on our many shared interests, including trade, investment, development and security. I am committed to strengthening our partnership still closer and look forward to getting to know Tanzania and its people.”

Sarah Cooke was appointed to the position earlier in 2016 in succession to Dianna Melrose, who is retired.

Cooke joined the British Civil Service in 2002, and she has worked in a number of UK Government departments including the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit in the Cabinet Office.

Tanzania UK Relations

The UK has historically been a partner of Tanzania in many areas, particularly trade and security.

Tanzanian exports to the UK are dominated by tea, tobacco and precious stones, while UK exports to Tanzania are mainly dominated by automobiles and electronic appliances.

The total trade between the two countries increased from GBP139.8m in 2010 to GBP143.4m in 2015, representing an increase of 3%.

During the same period, exports from Tanzania to the UK increased from GBP21.6m to GBP23.1m, while imports from the UK to Tanzania increased from GBP118.2m to GBP120.3m.

The UK is the largest foreign investor in Tanzania with 36% market share, followed by the US and China.

British investments in Tanzania are spread out across multiple sectors, such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture.