Tanzania To Intensify Relations With Israel

Following the 5th Tanzania-Israel Business and Investment Forum (TIBIF) that took place in Dar es Salaam on 23 – 24th April 2018, the two countries are on a path to intensify bilateral relations.

The forum brought together investors, entrepreneurs, government officials and private sector executives from both Tanzania and Israel.

RESOURCES
The Israeli delegation was be led by Mr. Ayelet Shaked, the Minister for Justice of the State of Israel, who commented: “Israel is a superpower in technology and Tanzania is the superpower in natural attractions and resources, I think we can combine our endowments.”

AGRICULTURE
From the Tanzanian side, Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Charles Mwijage told reporters that the government is targeting cooperation in agricultural in particular, in which Israel is highly developed, recalling that “[Israeli] are capable of farming even on the desert and producing more crops than those cultivating on arable land.”

TOURISM
In addition, the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) has already launched marketing campaigns targeting Israeli tourists, whose arrivals to Tanzania had increased from 3,007 in 2011 to 14,754 in 2015, according to TTB.

DIPLOMATIC TIES
Tanzania severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War.

Relations were reestablished in 1995, However, solely through Nairobi in Kenya.

Following TIBIF, Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Augustine Mahiga announced that the country will open its very first embassy in Israel on 8th May 2018.

The new embassy located at 12 Abba Hillel Silver Street in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.