ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates / AfricaWire.IO / – The UAE and Tanzania discussed ways to expand cooperation in economic, trade and development fields as Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Abdullah is the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Kombo serves as Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. The meeting took place on Saturday, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The two officials reviewed bilateral relations and opportunities to develop cooperation across various sectors. Sheikh Abdullah said relations between the two countries are distinguished and growing. He stressed a mutual commitment to strengthening ties in ways that serve shared interests and support each country’s development priorities. Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan attended the talks.
The ministers also discussed developments in the region and regional and international issues of mutual concern. The visit adds to a busy schedule of diplomacy for Sheikh Abdullah, who met India’s External Affairs Minister in Mumbai last month. The UAE has widened its diplomatic and economic outreach across Africa, with investment in ports, logistics and trade. Those efforts span energy, agriculture, mining and infrastructure projects across the continent.
DP World deepens Tanzania presence
A key pillar of UAE-Tanzania economic ties is the Port of Dar es Salaam, which handles more than 90% of Tanzania’s international maritime trade. Dubai’s DP World signed a 30-year deal in 2023 to operate and modernize four of its berths. The company began redevelopment work this year, awarding a construction contract to Egypt’s EDECS Group. The project is designed to expand capacity and improve efficiency at the country’s main gateway for imports and exports.
DP World also plans to start a weekly shipping service this month linking China with ports in Tanzania and Mozambique. Dar es Salaam serves as a gateway for several landlocked countries in East and Central Africa, including Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi. Expanded port capacity could strengthen the city’s role in regional trade and logistics.
Trade momentum for the UAE
The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade hit a record 1.937 trillion dirhams in the first half of 2026, rising 13.1% year on year, official data showed. Non-oil exports reached an all-time high of 452.8 billion dirhams. Comprehensive economic partnership agreements with countries around the world have been a key driver of that growth. The UAE has signed such agreements with partners across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America as part of its drive to diversify the economy away from oil.
East Africa has drawn growing investor attention, with African lenders seeking Kenyan bank acquisitions to expand in the region. Kombo’s portfolio covers Tanzania’s role in the East African Community, a bloc whose economies are growing by at least 5% a year. Its members include Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, among others. Sheikh Abdullah and Kombo affirmed their shared commitment to expanding cooperation that benefits both countries.