79th Anniversary of the Italian Republic: 2 June 1946 - 2 June 2025

What you need to know:

This year marks 64 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Italy. We also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first bilateral agreement on economic and technical cooperation, signed in Dar es Salaam on 4 August 1965.

Today we also celebrate our friendship with Tanzania. Italy recognised the independence of Tanganyika on 9 December 1961, immediately establishing diplomatic relations. On 8 December 1961 the Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani wrote to President Julius Nyerere, announcing Italy’s intention to start diplomatic relations and open an Embassy in Dar es Salaam. On 9 December 1961 the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Segni, wrote to President Nyerere to communicate that, pending the nomination of the Ambassador, the Italian government intended to appoint Mr. Luciano Falco as first Chargé d’Affaires in Dar es Salaam: he started his mission on 8 February 1962. On 10 December 1963 the Italian President, Antonio Segni, wrote to the Sultan of Zanzibar H.E. Seyyid Gamshid Bin Abdulla expressing Italy’s best wishes “on the solemn day that the People of Zanzibar proclaimed their full independence”. In April 1964, we also immediately recognized the United Republic of Tanzania, after the unification of Zanzibar and Tanganyika.

Therefore, since the beginning Zanzibar has played a special role in the relations between Italy and Tanzania. Italian tour operators have believed in the great potential for tourism of the archipelago since the early 90’s, investing in this sector and playing a key role in launching Zanzibar as a globally renowned tourist destination. In Africa Zanzibar is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Italians, as witnessed by the fact that Italian tourists have been ranking among the leading nationalities among tourist arrivals since the early 90’s (and first also in 2004). Italian investors and citizens have also supported many social initiatives in Zanzibar, especially in the sectors of infrastructure, health and education, sincerely committed to contributing to the socio-economic development of the archipelago.

For different reasons, Iringa holds a very special place in our bilateral relations, as it was here that the first Italian missionaries arrived in 1919, shortly after World War I. After having actively supported the local population, in particular in the sectors of education and health, in Iringa and in other regions across the country, even in the most remote areas, the Italian Consolata missionaries recently passed the baton to Tanzanian Sisters and Fathers. But a wonderful and admirable group of Italian Consolata Sisters still live in Iringa today. On 7 March 2025 we celebrated Sister Adolfina Dotta’s 94th birthday: she is the Dean of the Consolata Sisters and she arrived in Tanganyika in 1960 and ever since has dedicated almost 65 years of her life in supporting Tanzanian people, in particular in the education sector. She still runs a culinary school and she has trained hundreds of Tanzanian girls over the decades, providing them with job opportunities, dignity, self-confidence and most importantly empowerment. Suor Adolfina and her fellow Sisters met several times President Julius Nyerere, with whom they developed a deep friendship, based on truly shared values of universal peace, human dignity, freedom and mutual respect.

The Italian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) also play a crucial role in our bilateral relations. “Medici con l’Africa CUAMM” was the first Italian CSO that arrived in Tanzania, in 1968, followed by CEFA (Comitato Europeo per la Formazione e l’Agricoltura) in 1978, CMSR (“Centro Mondialità Sviluppo Reciproco”) in 1984, LVIA (Associazione Internazionale Volontari Laici) in 1986 and COPE (Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti) in 1988, implementing many projects especially in the health, education and agricultural sectors. Many other Italian CSOs started their activities in Tanzania in the following years and many of them are currently very active. Daily, each of them contribute to enriching and strengthening our bilateral relations, thanks to the many commendable activities they carry out to support in particular the most vulnerable citizens.

Also, in July 2024, Tanzania was included in the group of priority countries for the Italian Development Cooperation. In January 2025 President Giorgia Meloni communicated to H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan that Tanzania was included among the priority countries of the Mattei Plan. The “Piano Mattei” aims at strengthening the partnership between Italy and the African nations on a peer-to-peer approach, through the identification of areas of intervention and priorities focused on six main sectors: energy, water, education/vocational training, health, agriculture and infrastructures, including digital infrastructures. Through the Mattei Plan, Italy is promoting, also within the European Union and the G7, a more dynamic and new approach towards Africa, based on equal partnerships and mutual respect.

Italian companies invest very significant resources in Tanzania, providing job opportunities, especially for young people and women, transferring technology and contributing to the socio-economic development of the country, in addition to being important taxpayers. In January 2025, TAUR enterprise, an Italo-Tanzanian mining company, was awarded in the Taxpayers Appreciation Awards 2023/2024 as “the most compliant and largest tax payer in the Central Zone”. CETAWICO (Central Tanzania Wine Company), that produces, with no doubt, the best wine in Tanzania - also thanks to the unique know-how from the Valpolicella region in the northeast of Italy - was awarded as the third best tax contributors among the middle taxpayers in Dodoma region, in recognition of the company’s outstanding tax compliance in FY 2023/2024.

79th Anniversary of the Italian Republic: 2 June 1946 - 2 June 2025

What you need to know:

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EAC trade surges 37pc to $52.3bn as mineral exports drive growth

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What you need to know:

Tanzania eyes Italy’s $19bn horticultural market in new push

EAC trade surges 37pc to $52.3bn as mineral exports drive growth

Tanzania steps up checks on weighing and measuring equipment to protect consumers

Samia to grace Great Lakes women parliamentarians’ conference

SGR passengers to get free heart screening worth Sh500,000

JKT puts digital patriotism at the heart of youth training

Sh4 billion wildlife management area gets new leadership in Manyara

EAC trade surges 37pc to $52.3bn as mineral exports drive growth

Ride-hailing safety gap exposed as drivers bypass crucial checks

British Airways returns to Tanzania with direct flights to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar

Rostam Azizi challenges governments to earn investor confidence