PAKISTAN has reaffirmed its readiness to deepen economic engagements with Tanzania, spotlighting agriculture, trade, technology, pharmaceuticals, and climate resilience as pivotal areas for future collaboration.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam during celebrations commemorating Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day, the Pakistani High Commissioner to Tanzania Siraj Khan highlighted that bilateral trade between the two nations climbed to US $301 million in 2023, up from US $224 million in 2022, underscoring a robust upward trajectory.

“The agricultural sectors of both our nations remain foundational,” the envoy said. “Tanzania supplies raw cotton and other produce; Pakistan brings expertise in textiles, food processing, and animal husbandry. We stand ready to share this know-how for mutual gains.”

He emphasised that moving beyond raw commodity exports—such as cotton and cashew—into value-added processing could significantly uplift trade volumes and create local employment.

The envoy pointed to expanding industrial cooperation: “Last year, Pakistani firm Coming Digit commenced mobile phone exports to Tanzania, signalling early steps in technological and manufacturing partnerships."

 Pharmaceuticals were also highlighted as a promising collaboration frontier. Climate risk remains a shared challenge. The envoy warned that Pakistan faces catastrophic floods almost annually, and that Tanzania, with its diminishing forest cover, is similarly vulnerable.

“No country can tackle climate change in isolation,” he asserted. “Tanzania must protect its natural resources, and developed nations must support resilience-building efforts in developing countries like ours,” he added

He urged that the real engine of progress lies in business-to-business and people-to-people linkages—from entrepreneurs to policy-makers—to unlock the full potential of bilateral cooperation.

The Independence Day celebration was hosted by the Welfare Association of Pakistan and drew Pakistanis in Tanzania, and Tanzanian guests in a display of cultural pride and partnership.

With a rising trade volume now exceeding US $300 million, Pakistan is poised to support Tanzania in boosting agro-processing, enhancing food security, and fostering industrial growth. Both nations stand to benefit from sharing expertise, scaling up value addition, and fortifying resilience in a changing climate landscape.