Tanzania–Vietnam relations explained

Tanzania–Vietnam relations are bilateral relations between Tanzania and Vietnam. Vietnam and Tanzania set up diplomatic relations in 1965.^[1] Vietnam maintains an embassy in Dar es Salaam which is mandated to serve all of East Africa. Tanzania does not have an embassy in Vietnam, and the embassy in Beijing is accredited to Vietnam.^[2]

Economic Relations

Trade volume between the two countries in 2014 was around $156 million, with Vietnam exporting over $105 million worth of goods to Tanzania. Main exports from Vietnam to Tanzania include cement clinker and rice. Tanzania is the second largest buyer of Vietnamese rice after Philippines.

In 2015, the trade volume between the two countries rose to $205 million with the rise in exports from Tanzania. Vietnam is the second largest buyer of Tanzanian cashew nuts and third largest buyer of raw cotton.^[3]

Foreign direct investment

Halotel is currently the only Vietnamese firm operating in Tanzania with a $700 million initial investment. The state owned firm promised to provide telecom services in rural areas and was granted an operating licence when president Kikwete made a state visit to Vietnam in 2014.^[4]

Along with the president Trương Tấn Sang in March 2016, various Vietnamese businessmen accompanied the president to examine the investment atmosphere in Tanzania. The investors examined the special export processing zones in Tanzania and hope to make Tanzania a gateway for Vietnamese products into East Africa.^[5]

State Visits

• 12 October 2014 - President Jakaya Kikwete makes a two-day state visit to Hanoi. The president visits various industries and encourages Vietnamese investment in Tanzania.^[6] The president also grants a licence to Viettel Mobile to operate in Tanzania.^[7]
• 9 March 2016 - President Truong Tan Sang makes a three-day state visit to Tanzania and held bilateral talks with president John Magufuli. Various trade and investment agreements were signed.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: New development in Vietnam-Tanzania relations. 2016-03-09. vietnamplus.vn. 2016-04-03.
2. Web site: Tanzania China Embassy Profile . www.webcitation.org . 2016-04-03 . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20150327002739/http://www.tanzaniaembassy.org.cn/about-tz-embassy.html . March 27, 2015 .
3. Web site: Export destinations of Raw Cotton from Tanzania (2013). The Observatory of Economic Complexity. 2016-04-03.
4. Web site: Tanzania: Trade Ties With Vietnam Poised to Grow Stronger. allAfrica.com. 2016-04-03.
5. Web site: Tanzania, Vietnam eye $1bn trade volume. www.thecitizen.co.tz. 2016-04-03.
6. Web site: President Kikwete in Hanoi, Vietnam today : Magazeti ya leo : Tanzania News : Tanzania Today. www.tanzaniatoday.co.tz. 2016-04-03.
7. News: Viettel to invest $1 billion on 3G telecoms network in Tanzania: officials. 2014-10-28. Reuters. 2016-04-03.
8. Web site: Vietnamese, Tanzanian Presidents hold talks - News VietNamNet. vietnamnet.vn. english.vietnamnet.vn. 2016-04-03.