Japan to empower Tanzanian youth in the construction sector

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on developing human resources in the construction sector.

The MoU was signed on Thursday, August 22, 2025, by Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and Japan’s Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mr Kenichi Ogasawara.

TICAD9, the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, is a major international forum led by the government of Japan in partnership with African countries and global organisations.

Under the agreement, Tanzania will leverage Japan’s advanced technology and the expertise of Japanese companies in building long-lasting, climate-resilient infrastructure.

The partnership aims to equip Tanzanian youth in the engineering and construction fields with Japanese skills and know-how.

Mr Kombo says in a statement made available in Dar es Salaam that the initiative will enable Tanzanian youth to become self-employed in the construction sector and to gain employment with Japanese companies.

“The agreement will also support the involvement of Tanzanian youth and the private sector in implementing Tanzania's Vision 2050, through the development of high-quality infrastructure, a cross-cutting sector crucial to the country’s economic growth,” he says.

He noted that Tanzania is the first African country to enter into such an agreement with Japan in the construction sector.

Japan has previously signed similar partnerships with some Southeast Asian countries, where its advanced infrastructure technology has significantly contributed to economic development.