Arusha. Bilateral trade between Tanzania and India is set to cross $7 billion this year.
Trade between the two countries hit a record $6.4 billion by the end of the 2022/23 financial year.
For the current 2023/24 fiscal year, trade statistics have already crossed $5.7 billion by December 2023.
“Our bilateral trade is set to cross $7 billion this year (2023/24),” said Mr Manoj Verma, an official of the Indian High Commission in Tanzania.
He said when speaking at the Tanzania/India Business Forum (TIBF) here at the weekend that Tanzania is set to become India’s largest trading partner in Africa.
“This has become possible due to favourable policies bolstering trade,” he said during an event held at an Arusha hotel.
India, he pointed out, remains the top destination for Tanzanian exports, boosted by the duty-free tariff scheme extended by India.
Under the scheme, 98 percent of Tanzanian products are enjoying duty free access in the Indian market.
“In fact, as per Indian statistics, India is the number one destination for Tanzanian exports. It is undoubtedly the best trade partner for Tanzania,” he said.
According to Mr Verma, India is among the top five investment sources in Tanzania, with investment worth $3.93 billion.
In the past year alone, over a dozen Indian business delegations have visited Tanzania, contributing to the promotion of bilateral trade and investments.
Indian investments in Tanzania span key sectors such as hospitals, pharmaceuticals, animal vaccines, education, mining, and agro-processing, among others.
He added that his country’s investments are set to increase significantly with the establishment of the proposed Indian Industrial Park.
The government of Tanzania has already identified 1,000 acres of land near Dar es Salaam for the facility.
And a number of Indian businesses have already expressed interest to invest in pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, infrastructure, and automobiles.
Two years ago, the two countries agreed to promote bilateral trade in local currencies – Indian rupee and Tanzanian shilling – through Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVA).
It is believed the innovative approach would encourage Indian and Tanzanian banks and businesses to boost trade transactions.
Sameer Gupta, speaking on behalf of Tanzania/India Business Forum said President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s state visit to India last year was enough indication of the growing ties.
During the October 2023 visit, 14 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) spanning different sectors, from digital solutions, maritime industry, and sports were signed.
“Most important is the setting up of an industrial park in Tanzania for Indian businesses and investors,” he pointed out.
In the maritime industry, an MoU was signed between Indian Cochin Shipyard Limited and Maritime Services Industry Limited, a local parastatal.
Roman Chuwa, a representative of the Arusha regional business chamber, expressed his desire for increased partnerships between Indian firms and Tanzania.
He said the regional chapter of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (TCCIA) was open for investors from the South Asian country.
“You should take Arusha to be the prime destination for investors,” he said, calling for enhanced partnership with the Indian High Commission for the endeavour.
Arusha Urban MP (CCM) Mrisho Gambo urged prospective investors from India to revive the stalled industries and establish new ones in Arusha in order to create employment.
Mr Kake Dharwal, the director of an Arusha-based logistics firm, cited the Institute of Technology in Zanzibar as one of India’s landmark support projects to Tanzania.
The facility admits the first batch of students to train in various technology disciplines which, he said, have defined a significant number of investments to Tanzania from India.
Mr Dharwal, who is a member of the Tanzanian chapter of the East African Business Council (EABC), appreciated the holding of business forums between the two countries.
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Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.
The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.
In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.
Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.
“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”
Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Source: allafrica.com
Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
