Toast Speech by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the State Banquet Hosted by Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan on 9 June 2026 at Dar es Salaam State House ‘Ikulu’

Your Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Shikamoo. Thank you, President Suhulu Hassan for the warm and generous hospitality extended to my wife and me, and my delegation. This is the first State Visit by a Singapore President to Tanzania, and it builds on the 45 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Tanzania.

2. Our friendship began well before formal diplomatic ties were established. It was shaped by a shared experience familiar to both our peoples: the search for our own place in the world, and the shaping of our own path of development, amid the challenges of union, independence, and nation-building . Singapore's founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, visited Tanzania twice; in 1964 when we were part of Malaysia, and in 1970 when Singapore was young and newly independent. Mr Lee formed a bond with Tanzania's founding President Julius Nyerere.

3. The world has since changed in fundamental ways, that bring Asia and Africa closer together. The multiple agreements signed today reflect the breadth of what Singapore and Tanzania can do together. But they also point to something larger: that our two countries, though different in scale and circumstance, can be useful partners to each other as we navigate a more uncertain global environment.

4. It is that spirit of partnership that I carry with me on this State Visit, and that is reflected in the constructive engagements of Singapore companies which have been active in Tanzania, several of which represented in the business delegation that accompanied me here.

5. Our people, too, are connected through everyday life, work and culture. You may be surprised to know that there are Tanzanians who have planted roots in Singapore. The Makundi family are a heartwarming example. The father, Mr Walter Makundi, worked on the structural design of some of our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations in Singapore.

   1. I should add that the Makundis, have also observed that our cuisines speak a familiar language. Coastal Swahili dishes in Tanzania, much like Singapore's Malay, Indian and Peranakan cuisines, draw richness from coconut milk and warmth from spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and cardamon.

   2. These similarities reflect old spice routes, and the long movement of people, goods, and cultures across the Indian Ocean. And I am sure you will agree that once two peoples discover they both take their coconut milk and spices seriously, it is no longer just culinary affinity; it is strategic alignment.

6. Singapore and Tanzanian officials have also engaged and learnt from each other through the Singapore Cooperation Programme. The launch of the Singapore-Africa Partnership Leading to Growth and Sustainability (SAPLINGS) last year will provide even more opportunities for African officials to interact and exchange experiences with their Singapore counterparts.

7. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, may I now invite you to join me in a toast:

   1. To the good health and success of Her Excellency President Suhulu Hassan;

   2. To the continued peace and prosperity of Tanzania; and

   3. To the enduring friendship between Singapore and Tanzania.