Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening economic diplomacy as a key tool for protecting national interests and expanding international cooperation.
Minister Kombo made the remarks when leading the ministry’s management team in a meeting with Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security (NUU) at the Parliamentary offices in Dodoma.
The meeting, chaired by Committee Chairperson Najma Murtaza Giga, focused on reviewing the ministry’s performance and assessing the status of Tanzania’s diplomatic relations at regional and international levels.
Presenting the ministry’s implementation report, Minister Kombo outlined progress in executing parliamentary resolutions related to the foreign affairs sector, with particular emphasis on economic diplomacy aimed at safeguarding Tanzania’s economic interests.
Additionally, the minister outlined ongoing efforts to use diplomacy to attract investment, promote trade, create employment opportunities, and enhance Tanzania’s participation in regional and international organisations.
The Committee Chairperson, Najma Giga commended the ministry’s work and urged the Foreign Affairs Ministry to take a more strategic approach in leveraging existing opportunities to strengthen international partnerships, especially through economic diplomacy.
She stressed the importance of implementing economic diplomacy effectively to ensure Tanzania fully benefits from external opportunities, including foreign investment, job creation, trade expansion and the protection of national economic interests.
The parliamentary committee advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation to place greater emphasis on economic diplomacy, noting its critical role in attracting investors, promoting business opportunities, facilitating overseas employment and training opportunities, and advancing Tanzania’s broader economic agenda.
