In a new step to strengthen the partnership between Egypt and Tanzania, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed with his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu Hassan, in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, 'ways to achieve a qualitative leap in bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.'

Sisi made an official visit to Tanzania on Saturday, aimed at discussing 'the development of cooperation relations between the two countries to include various fields and issues,' according to the Egyptian presidency.

Egyptian-Tanzanian relations have gained momentum in recent years, in terms of political coordination and consultation, as well as economic and development aspects. Sisi previously visited Dar es Salaam in August 2017, considered at the time the first by an Egyptian president since 1968, and several summit meetings were held between the Egyptian president and his Tanzanian counterpart in recent years to support ties between the two countries.

According to the Egyptian presidency, Sisi and his Tanzanian counterpart held a closed bilateral meeting, followed by expanded talks with the delegations of both countries, during which he affirmed 'his country's aspiration to continue strengthening the distinguished bilateral relations with Tanzania in all fields.'

'The Egyptian-Tanzanian talks reflected the common will of the two countries towards strengthening the strategic partnership between them in various fields,' according to Sisi, who said in a press conference with his Tanzanian counterpart that 'the talks were an opportunity to exchange views on ways to achieve a qualitative leap in bilateral cooperation, for mutual benefit and to support joint development, especially advancing all aspects of economic cooperation, including trade exchange and encouraging investments.'

The Egyptian president in a press conference with his Tanzanian counterpart in Dar es Salaam (Egyptian presidency)

The value of trade exchange between Egypt and Tanzania reached $12.3 million during the first quarter of this year, compared to $15.8 million during the same period last year, while Egyptian exports to Tanzania increased by 3.2 percent, according to a statement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics in Egypt.

Sisi pointed to 'the importance of the participation of the private sector in both countries in a number of vital and promising economic sectors, such as construction and building, roads, maritime transport and ports, logistics zones, electricity and energy, agriculture and land reclamation, irrigation, medicine and medical supplies,' according to the Egyptian presidency.

The Egyptian president announced his country's readiness to 'work on expanding and developing the Port of Dar es Salaam and linking it with Tanzania's neighboring countries,' and noted that discussions included 'a proposal to establish a maritime line for sea linking between the ports of Safaga on the Red Sea in Egypt and Dar es Salaam,' as well as 'creating a multimodal corridor connecting Cairo and Dar es Salaam.'

Former Assistant Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ambassador Mohamed Hegazy, pointed to 'the proposal made by the Egyptian president to establish a maritime line between the two countries as part of an Egyptian vision aimed at enhancing and linking the management of seaports on the western coast of the Red Sea, to form a development corridor starting from Cairo to Dar es Salaam in East Africa, reaching Cape Town in South Africa.'

Hegazy, in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, believes that 'the strategic relations between Cairo and Dar es Salaam are reflected in many projects on the ground,' noting that 'Egyptian companies' investments in Tanzania reflect the capability of Egyptian soft power in the African arena, as they are based on exchanging expertise and building capacities,' and said that 'the level of Egyptian-Tanzanian understanding and coordination has reached important levels, especially regarding regional issues.'

Following the talks, the Egyptian president and his Tanzanian counterpart witnessed 'the signing of two memoranda of understanding between the two countries in the fields of transport, electricity and renewable energy.'

Sisi called for leveraging the success achieved by Egyptian companies in constructing the 'Julius Nyerere Dam' project to open up more Tanzanian development projects to Egyptian companies, and to benefit from the existing multiple assets of these companies on Tanzanian soil. He noted that he instructed 'to intensify the transfer of Egyptian expertise and provide technical support, rehabilitation and training programs, and capacity development with the Tanzanian side.'

Tanzanian President receiving President Sisi in Dar es Salaam (Egyptian presidency)

For her part, the Tanzanian president praised 'the Julius Nyerere Dam project being undertaken by a consortium of Egyptian companies,' and said it 'embodies a positive model of cooperation for achieving development and prosperity,' pointing to the existing cooperation between her country and Cairo as 'a model for the desired integration among African countries,' and affirmed 'her country's aspiration to strengthen cooperation with Egypt in various fields,' according to the Egyptian presidency.

According to member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Salah Halima, 'Egyptian-Tanzanian cooperation represents a model of African-African relations,' and said that 'the partnership between the two countries extends to various fields, and the cooperation contributed to the establishment of a consortium of Egyptian companies, the largest development and investment projects implemented by Egypt in African countries, namely the Julius Nyerere Dam project.'

Halima explained, in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, that 'Egyptian investments in Tanzania confirm that Cairo is not against development in the Nile Basin countries, but it rejects any projects that affect its historical water share, as is the case with the Ethiopian Dam issue,' and said that 'the Egyptian side seeks to invest its success in development projects in Tanzania by investing in new projects.'

On the level of regional cooperation, the Egyptian-Tanzanian summit discussed 'positive cooperation among the Nile Basin countries,' as well as 'the situations in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea, and ways to enhance collective African action,' and according to Sisi, 'agreement was reached to continue coordination and consultation between the two countries on various issues.'