ZANZIBAR is committed to enhancing diplomatic and economic cooperation with Mozambique for the mutual benefit of their citizens, President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, has declared.

At a State House press conference following bilateral talks with the visiting Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, he pointed at tourism, oil and gas exploration as well as deep-sea fishing as key areas for economic cooperation.

Mozambique’s extended coastline has similar characteristics as Zanzibar, “thus Zanzibar could learn from Mozambique’s success in marine tourism development.”

In the discussion on oil and gas cooperation, the host president said that Mozambique has been exporting natural gas for over 20 years and possesses valuable industry experience, also citing the potential for Zanzibar to import gas from Mozambique.

“Mozambique has completed its gas exploration and now has the necessary infrastructure to produce, process and export gas, including to South Africa,” he pointed out. “We are still in the exploration phase, while Mozambique is far ahead. There is much we can learn from their successes and challenges, which will help us avoid visible setbacks,” he said.

Beyond economic and diplomatic cooperation, there are deep-rooted historical ties between the two states, especially through the CCM and FRELIMO ruling parties, sharing a long-standing fraternal relationship.

“You will recall that FRELIMO was founded here in Tanzania. The strong relationship between our parties and governments is a source of pride,” he declared. He hailed Mozambique for bringing together political stakeholders through a signed agreement focused on maintaining peace and avoiding conflict, “an approach that Zanzibar could learn from.”

He was similarly upbeat over FRELIMO’s recent electoral victory, seeing it as a significant moment for CCM, given their long-standing partnership. President Chapo’s visit will further strengthen bilateral relations, he said.

The two states share cultural similarities, with Zanzibar being home to many Mozambican-born residents some of whom participated in the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution, he pointed out.

The bonds of friendship and cooperation will only grow stronger through this visit, with a large number of Mozambican citizens having been granted Tanzanian citizenship, he stated.

“We also discussed language exchange. Since they speak Portuguese and we speak Swahili, we have agreed to exchange teachers so that we can learn Portuguese and they can learn Swahili,” he said.

President Chapo reaffirmed Mozambique’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Tanzania, rooted in a long history of unity and shared experiences between the two countries.

He expressed his pleasure at visiting Zanzibar, viewing it as an important learning opportunity for Mozambique, especially in areas like economic development, investment, blue economy and tourism, where Zanzibar has made significant progress.

The visiting leader invited Zanzibar to explore Mozambique’s advancements in oil and natural gas, where the country has already established processing facilities and begun exporting gas.

He said cooperation between Mozambique and Zanzibar would be enhanced, focusing in relation to Pemba Island, to bolster mutual economic benefits proceeding from historical ties.

He also stressed party-to-party cooperation between FRELIMO and CCM, underpinning the sovereignty and freedom of both countries. The Mozambican leader toured premises and installations of the Deep Sea Fishing Authority and the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Office at Fumba, officials indicated.