Kombo hails MK-ICC facility in Arusha for widening Tanzania’s capacity to host global level conferences
DODOMA: THE Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, has said the construction of the Kilimanjaro International Convention Centre (MK-ICC) in Arusha will strengthen Tanzania’s capacity to host major national, regional and international conferences.
Ambassador Kombo said the facility would help address the country’s longstanding shortage of conference venues capable of accommodating large numbers of participants at the same time, enabling Tanzania to compete more effectively in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism market.
The Minister made the remarks on August 12, 2026, during a meeting between the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security (NUU), chaired by Najma Murtaza Giga, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation at the Parliament premises in Dodoma.
According to Ambassador Kombo, construction of the MK-ICC is part of the implementation of Economic Diplomacy through conference tourism, with the aim of creating more opportunities for domestic and foreign investment, employment and increased government revenue.
He said the facility is also expected to generate more foreign exchange earnings and stimulate growth in the tourism, trade, services and transport sectors.
The MK-ICC is being constructed through a partnership between the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) and the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), and will feature modern facilities for conferences and business-related activities.
ALSO READ: Tanzania prepares tourism frontline for influx of international visitors
The centre will include a main conference hall with a capacity of 5,000 participants, as well as smaller conference halls capable of accommodating between 30 and 500 people.
It will also feature a high-level national leaders’ conference hall with a capacity of 300 people, an exhibition hall capable of accommodating up to 10,000 participants, and an administration building.
The project also includes a five-star hotel with 500 rooms and a parking facility capable of accommodating 2,000 vehicles.
According to the information provided, the centre will also have supporting external infrastructure required for its operations, covering a total area of approximately 50,000 square metres.
Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security welcomed the construction of the facility, describing it as one of the landmarks of the Sixth-Phase Government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.
They called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through AICC, to make adequate preparations to ensure that the MK-ICC provides services that meet international standards and positions itself as a competitive venue in the global conference market.
The construction of the centre is expected to strengthen Arusha’s and Tanzania’s position as a destination for major international conferences while creating further opportunities for the tourism, trade, transport and services sectors.
