Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow as part of her official state visit to Russia.
The meeting marks one of the highest-level engagements between Tanzania and Russia in recent years and comes as Moscow continues efforts to expand its political, economic, and strategic partnerships across Africa.
President Samia is in Russia on a state visit running until June 5, following an invitation from President Putin. The visit includes bilateral talks, official engagements, and discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting at the Kremlin, the two leaders discussed relations between Tanzania and Russia as well as opportunities for increased collaboration in trade, investment, education, energy, and other sectors of mutual interest.
The visit comes at a time when Russia is working hard on strengthening its diplomatic outreach across Africa, seeking deeper ties with governments on the continent amid ongoing geopolitical tensions with Western countries.
Tanzania and Russia have maintained diplomatic relations for decades, with cooperation stretching back to the Soviet era. Moscow has historically supported various development, education, and technical programs in Tanzania, including scholarships for Tanzanian students studying in Russian institutions.
In recent years, both countries have expressed interest in expanding cooperation in areas such as agriculture, mining, energy, transport infrastructure, and tourism.
President Samia’s visit is expected to include discussions on ways to increase trade volumes between the two countries, which remain relatively modest compared to Tanzania’s trade with major partners in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Russia has increasingly positioned itself as a key partner for several African countries through investments, security cooperation, energy projects, and diplomatic engagement. The Kremlin has also hosted several African leaders in recent years as part of efforts to strengthen Moscow’s presence on the continent.
The Tanzanian delegation accompanying President Samia includes senior government officials expected to participate in sector-specific meetings and consultations during the visit.
The state visit is scheduled to continue until June 5, with further engagements expected before President Samia returns to Tanzania.
