How Tanzania’s High Commission in Mozambique is turning foreign policy into economic opportunities
TANZANIA: FOR decades, diplomatic missions were largely defined by political representation, diplomatic protocol and the management of bilateral relations. However, Tanzania’s foreign policy has evolved to place economic diplomacy at its core, with missions abroad expected to deliver measurable outcomes by attracting investment, facilitating trade, promoting tourism and providing responsive, citizen-centred services.
According to Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Mozambique, CP Hamad Khamis, diplomacy is no longer judged simply by the number of official meetings held or agreements signed. Its real value lies in the economic opportunities it creates, the partnerships it facilitates and the practical benefits it delivers to citizens and businesses.
In the fifth part of the Daily News Diplomatic Bench interview series, High Commissioner CP Hamad Khamis explains how Tanzania’s High Commission in Maputo has embraced this results-oriented approach by prioritising economic diplomacy while ensuring that the needs of Tanzanian citizens remain central to the mission’s mandate.
He says Tanzania’s foreign policy recognises that diplomacy should make a direct contribution to national development, economic transformation and improved livelihoods.
“Tanzania’s foreign policy places economic diplomacy at the centre of its international engagement, recognising that diplomacy should contribute directly to national development, economic transformation and the welfare of citizens,” he said.
In Mozambique, he explained, that policy has been translated into practical programmes that promote investment, facilitate trade, strengthen business networking, market Tanzania as a tourism destination and support Tanzanian entrepreneurs operating across borders.
Rather than viewing diplomacy as an abstract foreign policy exercise, the High Commission has sought to convert diplomatic engagement into concrete economic opportunities capable of generating long-term value for both countries.
One of the clearest demonstrations of this approach came through Tanzania’s participation in the 7th Feira de Negócios e Agronegócios (FENA) 2026, held in Nampula Province.
The High Commissioner describes the event as one of the mission’s most significant achievements during the reporting period.
Not only did Tanzania participate successfully, but the country emerged as the overall winner among participating countries and exhibitors, receiving First Prize and substantially enhancing its visibility as an investment and trade destination.
For the High Commission, however, the award represented only part of the achievement.
More importantly, the exhibition generated 14 high-potential investment opportunities across strategic sectors of the economy.
These opportunities covered agriculture, mining, heavy mineral sands, logistics, transport, textiles and fashion.
Instead of allowing those opportunities to remain exhibition prospects, the High Commission immediately initiated a coordinated follow-up process by communicating them to relevant Tanzanian institutions for technical assessment and investor engagement.
Among the institutions involved were TanTrade, the Tanzania Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), STAMICO, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Minerals.
The High Commissioner says this coordinated approach reflects an understanding that successful economic diplomacy does not end when an exhibition closes.
Investment promotion requires sustained engagement.
To ensure continuity, the High Commission established a structured investment monitoring and follow-up mechanism that tracks every opportunity from the initial contact stage through to implementation.
Such an approach, he argues, increases the likelihood that investment leads generated through diplomatic engagement ultimately become actual investment projects.
A broader role for diplomatic missions According to the High Commissioner, today’s diplomatic missions perform responsibilities that extend far beyond traditional political representation.
Modern diplomacy now encompasses trade promotion, investment facilitation, tourism marketing, innovation, institutional partnerships and sustainable development. “The role of diplomatic missions has evolved significantly beyond traditional political representation,” he observed.
“Today’s High Commission serves as a strategic platform for promoting trade, investment, tourism, innovation and sustainable development while facilitating partnerships that advance Tanzania’s economic and foreign policy objectives.”
This broader mandate has shaped the High Commission’s activities over the past two years. Between 2025 and 2026, the mission facilitated Tanzania’s participation in eight major trade fairs, investment forums and business promotion platforms.
These included the 60th FACIM International Trade Fair, the 7th FENA Trade and Agribusiness Exhibition, the International Industrial Conference and Expo, the Mozambique Tourism Gala and Investment Forum, the Second International Conference on Nutrition and Agribusiness (CINA), the 12th Zanzibar International Trade Fair and the Morogoro Regional Trade Fair.
Each platform served a distinct purpose. Collectively, however, they expanded Tanzania’s commercial visibility, strengthened business-to-business networking and generated investment opportunities that continue to be pursued through the High Commission’s structured monitoring mechanism.
The High Commissioner says sustained participation in such forums enables Tanzania not only to showcase its products and services but also to position itself as an increasingly competitive destination for investment within the region.
While trade and investment remain central pillars of economic diplomacy, tourism has also become an important component of the High Commission’s work.
The mission actively promotes Tanzania’s internationally recognised tourism attractions while encouraging complementary regional tourism circuits linking Tanzania’s wildlife destinations with Mozambique’s coastal attractions.
During the Mozambique Tourism Gala and Investment Forum 2026, held in Nampula Province, the High Commission showcased Tanzania’s tourism investment opportunities while encouraging greater cross-border tourism cooperation.
The High Commissioner believes that such initiatives can diversify visitor experiences while creating additional economic opportunities for both countries.
Tourism promotion, therefore, is viewed not merely as marketing destinations but also as a means of strengthening regional economic integration through shared opportunities.
Preparing businesses for future opportunities
The High Commission also plays an important coordinating role in preparing Tanzanian institutions and businesses to participate in future commercial events.
In preparation for the 61st FACIM International Trade Fair, scheduled for August 2026 in Maputo, the mission coordinated the dissemination of invitations to Tanzanian public institutions and private sector stakeholders.
A total of 43 institutions, organisations and companies were invited to participate and showcase Tanzania’s products, services and investment opportunities.
Such preparations, according to the High Commissioner, CP Hamad Khamis, ensure Tanzania maintains a strong and coordinated presence in regional trade and investment platforms while creating new avenues for commercial engagement.
Economic diplomacy also depends on durable institutional partnerships. The High Commission therefore promotes the implementation of important bilateral cooperation frameworks designed to strengthen private sector collaboration.
Among these are the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Tanzania and Mozambique Chambers of Commerce and the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and Mozambique’s Agency for Promotion of Investment and Exports (APIEX).
The High Commissioner says these agreements provide institutional mechanisms that facilitate business networking, investor engagement and commercial cooperation beyond individual diplomatic initiatives.
Rather than relying solely on government interactions, such partnerships encourage long-term collaboration between business communities in both countries.
Another strategic initiative receiving considerable attention is improved transport connectivity between Tanzania and Mozambique.
The High Commission has advocated for the introduction of direct Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) flights linking the two countries.
The initiative gained additional prominence after President Samia Suluhu Hassan publicly announced it during celebrations marking the 50th Anniversary of Mozambique’s Independence.
According to the High Commissioner, direct flights would substantially improve business mobility while stimulating tourism, trade, investment and peopleto-people exchanges.
Improved connectivity, he argues, remains one of the practical foundations upon which stronger economic cooperation can be built.
Looking beyond aviation, the High Commission has proposed the establishment of a TanzaniaMozambique Joint Security and Economic Corridor.
The proposal seeks to integrate security cooperation with transport, trade, investment promotion and border development.
Rather than treating security and economic cooperation as separate policy areas, the proposed corridor would combine them into a single framework capable of unlocking broader opportunities for sustainable economic growth.
For the High Commissioner, this reflects the increasingly integrated nature of modern diplomacy, where security, infrastructure and commerce reinforce one another in promoting development.
Delivering economic diplomacy requires close collaboration across government. The High Commission therefore adopts what the High Commissioner describes as a whole-of-government approach.
Regular engagement is maintained with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, together with key institutions including TanTrade, TISEZA, TPA, TRA, STAMICO, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Minerals and ATCL.
These institutions receive investment information generated through the High Commission’s activities and work together in assessing opportunities, engaging prospective investors and implementing follow-up actions.
The High Commissioner cites the FENA 2026 exhibition as a practical example of this coordinated model.
All 14 investment opportunities identified during the exhibition were formally transmitted to relevant institutions to ensure that they moved beyond preliminary discussions into concrete institutional processes.
“The High Commission adopts a whole-of-government approach in advancing Tanzania’s national interests in Mozambique,” he said.
“This ensures that opportunities identified through diplomatic engagement are not only documented but actively pursued through appropriate institutional channels.”
For High Commissioner CP Khamis, modern diplomacy should ultimately be evaluated through measurable outcomes rather than diplomatic activity alone.
Accordingly, the High Commission uses a broad set of performance indicators that assess both institutional effectiveness and contributions to Tanzania’s foreign policy objectives.
These include growth in bilateral trade, investment opportunities generated, business partnerships facilitated, implementation of bilateral agreements, participation in trade and investment promotion platforms, institutional partnerships, public diplomacy outreach, stakeholder engagement, quality of consular services and sound financial management.
One indicator cited by the High Commissioner is the growth in bilateral trade.
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According to TanTrade, Tanzania’s exports to Mozambique increased from approximately USD 15.5 million in 2021 to USD 32.4 million in 2025, more than doubling within five years.
Tanzania’s exports include mosquito nets, glass containers, petroleum jelly, mineral water, cement clinker and vegetable oils, while imports from Mozambique include sugar, liquefied butane, maize seed, tropical timber and industrial raw materials.
Institutional performance is also measured through governance standards.
During the 2024/2025 financial year, the High Commission received an Unqualified Audit Opinion (Clean Audit Report) from the Controller and Auditor General, reflecting compliance with public financial management requirements, together with effective financial controls and accountability.
According to CP Khamis, such achievements demonstrate that successful diplomacy combines sound governance with practical economic outcomes.
Ultimately, he says, the mission judges its success by the extent to which diplomatic initiatives contribute to Tanzania’s national development priorities, strengthen bilateral relations and deliver measurable economic, institutional and citizen-centred benefits.
“Our success is measured by the extent to which our diplomatic initiatives contribute to Tanzania’s national development priorities, strengthen bilateral relations and deliver measurable economic, institutional and citizen-centred outcomes,” the envoy says.
