Remarks by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Joint Press Conference with Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan on 9 June 2026 at Dar es Salaam State House ‘Ikulu’

Your Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Let me first express my deep appreciation to President Suluhu Hassan for the warm welcome extended to me and my delegation and for the substantive programme planned for us in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

2. This is the first State Visit by a Singapore President to Tanzania. Many know the country for its wildlife, natural beauty, and Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. But Tanzania's story is also one of ambition, given its history, its youthful population, and the possibilities for your country in a new global environment, anchored by Dar es Salaam's role as a thriving Indian Ocean port, and by Zanzibar's rich heritage, which I look forward to experiencing tomorrow. Although I only arrived only last evening, Tanzania has already left a strong impression: a country confident in its potential, and well placed to shape the opportunities ahead. I look forward also to visiting Zanzibar tomorrow, which is itself building on its rich heritage.

3. This year, Singapore and Tanzania mark the 45^th anniversary of diplomatic ties. As President Suluhu Hassan and I discussed this morning, it is timely for our two countries to inject fresh momentum into our relationship, and to explore new areas for practical cooperation.

4. We meet at a time when the international rules, institutions and habits of cooperation that countries like ours have long depended on are under strain. Trade and supply chains are being reshaped by politics and conflict. Climate pressures are intensifying. And developing countries face the risk of being left to adjust to these shifts on terms set by others.

5. We have to address these problems with resolve, not diffidence. Our response must be to build bridges - including between Asia and Africa, and among countries that believe that openness and partnership still offer the best path forward.

6. Singapore and Tanzania have today taken practical steps in that direction, both bilaterally and as gateway economies which can catalyse greater trade and investment flows between our respective regions, Southeast Asia and East Africa.

7. In this vein, I welcome the East African Community (EAC)'s intention to pursue a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore.

   1. This is a significant step. It connects Singapore not only with Tanzania, but also with the other seven Partner States in the EAC.

   2. It will be Singapore's first FTA negotiation with an African partner, and the EAC's first with a partner outside of Africa.

   3. Such an FTA would improve market access and the flow of goods and services between the EAC and Singapore. Singapore could also provide East African exporters with a gateway to the larger ASEAN market.

   4. It will also open up newer areas of growth, such as in the digital economy.

   5. The EAC-Singapore FTA would be a timely move to diversify our trade networks amidst current geopolitical tensions.

8. On bilateral cooperation, Singapore and Tanzania are also moving forward.

9. First, on the economic front. Tanzania sits at a strategic crossroads, with its ports opening into the Indian Ocean and to the wider East African region. There is much more we can do together - in logistics, ports, the digital economy, agribusiness, and food security.

   1. We are strengthening the foundations for trade and investment. The Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) will give businesses greater certainty, and make it easier for them to invest for the long term.

   2. We are also advancing cooperation by sharing our practical experience and knowhow in industrial park planning, trade facilitation, supply connectivity, and other areas that can support enterprise and job creation.

   3. Second, we are deepening cooperation between our peoples and institutions.

      1. Singapore's development has been built on a simple conviction: that a country's most important resource is its people. We look forward to supporting Tanzania's efforts to upskill its young and growing population, who have the potential to be a major driver of future growth through our MOU on Skills Development. I also look forward to interacting with students at the University of Dar es Salaam later today.

      2. Our institutions are also working together in healthcare and disease prevention through capacity building in innovation and research.

         • Singapore's Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School will collaborate with Tanzania's Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) to strengthen Tanzania's national Sickle Cell Disease programme. And President Suluhu Hassan in our discussions had also suggested that we expand that cooperation to Benjamin Mkapa hospital. This is a chronic illness that is estimated to affect 11,000 newborns in Tanzania each year and accounts for about 6.4% of under-five mortality in Africa.

         • The current options for cure of sickle cell disease globally are limited and costly. However, as this collaborative research will involves non-commercial platforms developed by Duke-NUS laboratories, it may enable more affordable solutions. It can improve public health outcomes in Tanzania, generate spillover benefits across Africa, and contribute to global health innovation - while giving both sides a chance to learn from very different disease-burden environments.

      3. The establishment of bilateral consultations between our foreign ministries will also provide a regular platform to deepen mutual understanding, review progress, and identify new areas of cooperation over time.

   4. Third, we are working together on climate and resilience. For both our countries, climate change is not an abstract concern. Singapore is a low-lying island state. Tanzania faces pressures on its agriculture, water resources, coastlines, and natural heritage.

      1. We therefore welcome our collaboration in carbon credits in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This is a new and emerging area of cooperation that can help us advance our climate goals and support sustainable development.

      2. We will also exchange best practices on carbon market frameworks and jointly identify mitigation projects. If done well, this can help mobilise finance for conservation, clean energy, and sustainable livelihoods.

10. Singapore and Tanzania have built a steady friendship over 45 years. We can and must take it further. I look forward to working closely with President Suluhu Hassan to advance this relationship for the benefit of our peoples.

11. Thank you.