Written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press-Tanzania In September 2019, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, received Dr. Ali Mohammad Shein, the former President of Zanzibar at Al Gahar Palace.
During the meeting the three officials discussed the discussed the existing relations between the two countries in the areas of investment, trade, tourism and other sectors, as well as ways of enhancing their future ties and several issues of mutual interest.
The UAE stressed that they are prioritizing its efforts to boost its relations with Tanzania, Zanzibar and Africa in general, to achieve development and prosperity.
Bilateral Ties
Under Tanzania the semi-autonomous Zanzibar and the UAE established their diplomatic relations in 1974, the two states have been maintaining magnificent and great evolving ties. Tanzania opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2002, while the UAE opened its embassy in Dar es Salaam in 2007.
The relationship between the two nations is based at a larger magnitude on the cultural and mainly economic aspects as far as trade, tourism and areas of investment and other sectors, as well as ways of enhancing their future ties and several issues of mutual interest.
The impact of UAE’s contracts
The Khalifa Fund For Enterprise Development, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Finance and Planning of Tanzania to provide Dh 36.8 million ($10 million) towards the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Zanzibar.
The MoU signed by Hussein Jasem Al Nowais, Chairman of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, mirrors the UAE’s commitment to contribute actively to the government’s efforts to promote economic and social development in fraternal friendly countries and to boost economic and social stability. And also emphasises the strong bilateral relations between the two governments.
The agreement will provide funding for about 2,000 expected projects to contribute to creating more than 9,000 jobs for young people in Zanzibar in the coming years.
In November 20109 Tanzanian archipelago Zanzibar penned a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with RAK Gas LLC. state natural gas utility of the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah (RAK) in the UAE.
The historic signing permits the exploration, production, development and sharing of benefits derived from the hydrocation resources. The milestone liberates Zanzibar to exploit its natural resources and impact its economy and lives of its people.
The UAE has emerged in recent years as an important protagonist in the Horn of Africa. Through political alliances, aid, investment, military base agreements and port contracts, it is expanding its influence in the region.
The influence of, and competition among, Gulf states could reshape Horn geopolitics. Gulf leaders can nudge their African counterparts toward peace; both the UAE and Saudi Arabia helped along the recent Eritrea-Ethiopia rapprochement. But rivalries among Gulf powers can also sow instability, as their spillover into Somalia has done.
UAE’s trade volume in Zanzibar
The UAE is one of Tanzania’s largest trading partners enjoying the partnership for many years. The trade balance between the two nations stands at $3 billion annually, in favor of the UAE.
In 2013, the UAE imported $85 million worth of goods from Tanzania, with Tanzania importing $1.14 billion worth of goods from the UAE the same year.
