Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan held high-level bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and the Secretary-General of UN Tourism at the opening of the 13th World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
During her engagements, President Hassan focused on deepening Africa–Caribbean cooperation, expanding trade, investment, and tourism linkages, enhancing aviation connectivity, strengthening security and technology partnerships, and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
She also highlighted Tanzania’s ongoing efforts in national reconciliation, constitutional reforms, and initiatives to transform the country’s tourism sector through sustainability, diversification, innovation, and digitalisation.
A State House statement dated Tuesday, February 3, 2026, signed by the Director of Presidential Communications, Mr Bakari Machumu, said the discussions aimed at “strengthening strategic partnerships, advancing economic diplomacy, and aligning international cooperation with Tanzania’s development priorities.”
In her first meeting, the statement said, President Hassan and Prime Minister Gaston Browne explored “a wide-ranging set of issues centred on deepening cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean, particularly within the framework of the Commonwealth.”
Both leaders reflected on their shared historical ties and emphasised “the need for deliberate, structured efforts to reconnect the motherland and the homeland through modern economic, political, and people-to-people partnerships.”
Prime Minister Browne “commended Tanzania’s leadership and transparency in addressing recent post-election security challenges,” adding that “the establishment of an independent Commission of Inquiry demonstrates commitment to accountability and constitutional order.”
President Hassan briefed the Prime Minister on ongoing initiatives, including “the Commission of Inquiry, plans for a National Reconciliation Commission, and forthcoming constitutional reforms.”
The two sides agreed to advance cooperation across multiple areas, highlighting Africa–Caribbean integration within the Commonwealth framework, trade, investment, and tourism, including structured technical engagement.
Regarding aviation connectivity, the statement noted that both countries prioritised building on existing flight linkages, security cooperation, technology transfer, and education and human capital, including support for the Julius Nyerere Commonwealth Scholarship Programme.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation as foundations for sustainable partnerships.
“Joint technical teams from both countries will be established to operationalise these areas of cooperation,” the statement added.
Prime Minister Browne extended a formal invitation to President Hassan to attend the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and announced plans to visit Tanzania in June or July 2026.
“These engagements advance Tanzania’s strategic interest in expanding South–South cooperation beyond traditional partners, positioning Tanzania as a bridge between Africa and the Caribbean, leveraging Commonwealth platforms for investment, education, and mobility, and reinforcing international confidence in Tanzania’s governance, stability, and reform trajectory,” the statement said.
President Hassan reaffirmed Tanzania’s readiness “to support Antigua and Barbuda’s chairmanship of the Commonwealth” and emphasised the country’s commitment to implementation and delivery.
In her second meeting, President Hassan congratulated Ms Shaikha Al Nuwais on her appointment as the first female Secretary-General of UN Tourism and reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment “to a strategic partnership with the organisation.”
Discussions focused on transforming Tanzania’s tourism sector through sustainable and eco-tourism models, digital marketing and data-driven planning, sports, cultural, and gastronomy tourism, flagship projects under review, capacity building, and Tanzania’s readiness to host a UN Tourism Regional Office.
The Secretary-General praised Tanzania as “a leading tourism destination” and described President Hassan as “a powerful global brand for the country,” citing the impact of The Royal Tour documentary.
She confirmed UN Tourism’s readiness “to support Tanzania’s ambition to grow arrivals to eight million tourists and increase tourism’s contribution to GDP from 17 percent to 24 percent,” and accepted “an official invitation to visit Tanzania to further advance these initiatives.”
According to the statement, the engagements “directly support Tanzania’s priorities to position tourism as a high-impact growth sector, attract quality investment into tourism infrastructure, create jobs, especially for youth and women, strengthen climate-smart and technology-enabled tourism models, and enhance Tanzania’s global brand and competitiveness.”
The bilateral meetings reflect Tanzania’s broader strategy “of economic diplomacy focused on results, not symbolism, diversifying partnerships globally, including Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and multilateral institutions, anchoring international cooperation in national priorities such as Dira 2050, investment attraction, tourism transformation, and social stability, as well as reinforcing Tanzania’s image as a stable, reform-oriented, and reliable partner.”
President Hassan reaffirmed that Tanzania remains committed “to peace, transparency, cooperation, and principles that guide the country’s engagement at WGS 2026 and beyond.”
