Minister of Transport Kamel el-Wazir underscored Egypt’s commitment to deepening transport co-operation with Tanzania as part of a broader strategy to boost intra-African trade and expand Egyptian exports, in line with directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
During a meeting on Tuesday with Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cairo, Richard Mutayoba Makanzu, Wazir highlighted the government’s strong focus on establishing logistics hubs across key African markets, foremost among them Tanzania, which serves as a strategic gateway to several countries.
He noted that Dar es Salaam Port stands as one of East Africa’s principal maritime hubs, handling around 90 per cent of Tanzania’s domestic trade and acting as a vital access point for six neighbouring countries: Malawi, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.
El-Wazir affirmed that Egypt seeks to elevate bilateral relations with Tanzania to new levels of partnership and integration, building on the historic and fraternal ties between the two nations.
The minister revealed that a memorandum of understanding (MoU), expected to be signed in the near future, will outline four key areas of co-operation. These include the development and operation of a multipurpose terminal at Dar es Salaam Port through an Egyptian-Tanzanian-international consortium; the launch of a maritime shipping line linking Egyptian Red Sea ports with Dar es Salaam; and the reciprocal establishment of logistics zones in both countries, modeled on Egypt’s successful experience with Rwanda.
He added that these initiatives aim to stimulate bilateral investment, facilitate the establishment of joint industrial projects, strengthen economic integration, and create job opportunities for youth in both countries.
El-Wazir asserted that Egypt possesses leading, highly experienced companies specialising in infrastructure development. These firms have played a central role in implementing major national projects, including the New Administrative Capital and extensive road, bridge, airport, tunnel, and dam projects both domestically and internationally.
For his part, Tanzanian Ambassador Makanzu expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s role in supporting bilateral co-operation, praising Egyptian expertise across various sectors, especially in transport and infrastructure.
