Samia set for historic Russia visit

DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to undertake a state visit to Russia from tomorrow to Friday at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

According to a statement released yesterday by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, this visit is historic as it will be only the second by a Tanzanian Head of State to Russia, following one by the Founding Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, in October 1969.

The visit will further strengthen the longstanding diplomatic, political, economic and historical relations that exist between the two countries.

During the visit, President Samia will hold official talks with her host, President Putin, at the Kremlin in Moscow. The discussions will focus on enhancing cooperation in strategic sectors, including trade and investment, education, science and technology, energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism.

The visit comes at a time when Tanzania continues to advance its economic diplomacy agenda through active participation in major international platforms that bring together government leaders, investors, financial institutions, the private sector and policymakers.

While in Russia, President Samia will participate in and address the plenary session of the 29th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026), one of the world’s most influential platforms for discussions on economic development, trade and investment.

Her participation in this highlevel session reflects Tanzania’s growing prominence and influence in international economic discourse.

The forum will provide an important opportunity for Tanzania to present its economic transformation agenda, particularly the implementation of the Tanzania Development Vision 2050, ongoing reforms to improve the business and investment environment, the development of special economic zones, industrialisation, energy, infrastructure, mining, tourism and the expanded role of the private sector in driving economic growth.

President Samia will also participate in the Tanzania–Russia Business and Investment Forum, which will bring together business leaders, investors and investment promotion institutions from both countries. The objective is to increase bilateral trade between Tanzania and Russia, which currently stands at 307.5 million US dollars (about 802bn/-) annually.

During the visit, Tanzania and Russia are expected to sign and conclude a number of cooperation agreements covering higher education, science and technology, investment and information and communication technology.

President Samia will also be awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) by the People’s Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) in recognition of her leadership, reforms in the education sector, efforts to strengthen Tanzania’s diplomacy and her contribution to enhancing the country’s international profile, including through the tourism sector.

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The visit is expected to promote Tanzania as a peaceful, politically stable and investmentfriendly destination.

The St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is an annual global economic forum held in the Russian Federation. It brings together Heads of State and Government, business leaders, investors, financial institutions, international organisations, policy experts and other development stakeholders to discuss global economic trends, trade, investment, technology, energy and international cooperation.

Over the years, SPIEF has established itself as one of the world’s leading platforms for policy dialogue and business engagement among governments, institutions and the private sector.

The Tanzania–Russia Business and Investment Forum forms part of Tanzania’s economic diplomacy strategy and aims to connect governments, private sector actors, investors and investment promotion agencies in order to unlock new opportunities for trade, investment, technology transfer and development cooperation between Tanzania and Russia.