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To strengthen implementation, President Samia called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation to engage retired diplomats in training current officials, ensuring that Tanzania’s envoys are equipped to promote national interests globally

In a landmark diplomatic step, Tanzania has launched a revised National Foreign Policy that reinforces the country's leadership in African diplomacy. The updated policy embraces Pan-African values, supports the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and advances regional peace, integration, and sustainable development.  

The launch event, held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam, was officiated by H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was also attended by Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, members of the Diplomatic Corps, senior government leaders, and private sector representatives. 

Rooted in the vision of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Tanzania has historically championed unity, liberation, and non-alignment in African diplomacy. Under Nyerere’s leadership, Tanzania became a moral compass for the continent and a founding member of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). 

“This policy speaks on who we are as a nation—firm in our values, proactive in our diplomacy, and committed to constructive partnerships that advance peace, security, and shared prosperity,” President Samia said during the event. 

The new policy reflects this legacy while responding to contemporary priorities like trade, migration, regional infrastructure, climate action, and digital transformation. It aims to deepen Tanzania’s engagement with continental bodies like the AU, SADC, and EAC while emphasizing Kiswahili as a tool for regional integration. 

President Samia noted that the revised policy was shaped through a broad-based participatory process involving Tanzanians from all walks of life. “It was high time we revised the policy to cope with global shifts in various spheres,” she said, citing the global scramble for strategic minerals and trade disruptions caused by ongoing conflicts as key motivators. 

A core feature of the updated framework includes economic diplomacy and the creation of a Special Status for Tanzanians in the diaspora. The policy promotes legal reforms that would allow non-citizen Tanzanians abroad to own land, register businesses, and invest back home. 

To strengthen implementation, President Samia called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation to engage retired diplomats in training current officials, ensuring that Tanzania’s envoys are equipped to promote national interests globally. 

President Mwinyi welcomed the revised policy as a catalyst for unlocking social, economic, and political potential. “Tanzania continues to position itself globally, and the revised policy aligns with evolving global needs,” he said. 

He urged the Ministry to encourage more countries to open consulates in Zanzibar and called on all Tanzanians to embrace and defend national interests through the policy. “This policy will benefit both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar,” he emphasized. 

Tanzania continues to position itself globally, and the revised policy aligns with evolving global needs

President Samia’s regional outreach began early in her presidency. In April 2021, she visited Uganda, where she and President Yoweri Museveni signed the Final Investment Decision for the $10 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). 

In May 2021, her visit to Kenya revitalized bilateral ties, followed by trips to Burundi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zambia, and Egypt, resulting in cooperation on trade, energy, security, and innovation. 

At the June 2021 SADC Summit in Mozambique, Tanzania reaffirmed its commitment to regional peace by supporting the fight against insurgency in Cabo Delgado. In Ghana, she received the Africa Road Builders–Babacar Ndiaye Trophy for leadership in infrastructure development. 

In Senegal, during the IDA20 Summit, and at COP27 in Egypt, she positioned Tanzania as a leader in climate resilience, presenting an $18 billion renewable energy plan. 

From 2023 to 2025, she maintained strong continental engagement through AU summits, the BRICS Summit in South Africa, and diplomatic visits to Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, and Morocco. 

A key milestone in Tanzania’s growing international stature was the invitation to the Lobito Corridor Development Project high-level meeting in Angola—part of the G7’s Global Infrastructure Initiative. Although Tanzania was not originally a member of the project, its geographic and strategic relevance was recognized as critical to the corridor’s success. 

In February 2024, President Samia unveiled a statue of Mwalimu Nyerere at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia—a symbolic act that underscored Tanzania’s foundational role in the Pan-African movement. 

As Chair of the SADC Organ, she presided over the 2024 Troika Summit in Zimbabwe, advancing peace and security initiatives and supporting Raila Odinga’s candidacy for AU Commission leadership. 

On May 18, 2025, Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi was elected as the next Regional Director of the WHO African Region, a milestone widely credited to Tanzania’s rising diplomatic influence. His nomination followed the untimely death of Dr. Faustine Ndugulile in 2024. Janabi’s appointment will be formalized by the WHO Executive Board later this month. 

According to Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, the revised policy focuses on ten strategic pillars: 

  1. Economic Diplomacy 
  2. Peace, Security, and Stability 
  3. Ratification and Implementation of International Treaties 
  4. Participation in Regional and Global Bodies 
  5. Promotion of Kiswahili as a Diplomatic Tool 
  6. International Resource Mobilization 
  7. Blue Economy Development 
  8. Diaspora Engagement 
  9. Human Rights and Good Governance 
  10. Environmental Protection and Climate Leadership  

This updated policy reflects Tanzania’s commitment to Pan-African unity while embracing innovation, inclusion, and global partnership. It sets the stage for the next chapter in Tanzania’s regional leadership and sustainable development. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Tanzania Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation

Gen z's during the Shujaaz Memorial concert held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi on 7th July 2024. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

  

We all go through the youthful phase of wanting to do things differently from how our parents and previous generations did. The Bible says, there is nothing new under the sun. Every generation goes through this phase. 

The big difference when it comes to Gen Z is the visibility; social media and technology is their stepping stone. However, we cannot overlook the impact this visibility is causing and resultant influence to current systems and structures. There is going to be an impact, if it’s not there already.

The question then is, is this a real paradigm and mental shift or is it a case of history just repeating itself, this time more visibly - with pie-in-the-sky idealism and facade, before reality check in? 

I believe every generation has unique skill sets and culture that they carry with them, different from their parents. For Gen Z, they have the advantage of being born and brought up in a vibrant digital age.

This had its desired pros and cons. This should be used to their advantage, and not to make millennials and baby boomers feel archaic.

Comparatively, some Gen Zs have the advantage of having complex and sophisticated tech skills early on in their young lives. I say ‘some’ because there is also quite a number of Gen Zs who have complete access to social media, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok et al, but are complete novices and greenhorns in blockchain and AI. 

They don’t know coding and they don’t know programming and they have never heard these terms.

But they throw the words ‘digital’ and ‘technology’ in our seemingly old faces. Unfortunately, the internet has given most people, not just Gen Zs, Dutch courage. By Christabel May Khamala, The Standard

 

GENEVA

UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a newly passed bill that would allow civilians to be tried in military courts, warning it violates international human rights standards.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, passed by parliament on Tuesday, expands military courts' authority to prosecute a broad range of offenses involving civilians.

Turk, in a statement, expressed alarm that the legislation defies a landmark Supreme Court ruling in January, which declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.

"I respectfully urge President Museveni to reject the retrogressive bill and take the necessary steps to comply fully and promptly with the Supreme Court’s decision," he said.

He also stressed that trying civilians in military courts generally breaches international human rights law which guarantees a fair, impartial, and independent judicial process. Such trials are only permissible in strictly limited and exceptional circumstances, according to the human rights office.

Turk voiced concern that the bill’s passage comes amid rising reports of political repression, including abductions, torture, and harassment of opposition members ahead of Uganda's 2026 general elections. Anadolu Agency

Measures against Sudan will include limits on U.S. exports and U.S. government lines of credit and will take effect around June 6, after Congress was notified on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. [Getty]

Sudan's army-aligned government on Friday denied US allegations that it had used chemical weapons in its war against paramilitary rivals, a day after Washington said it would impose sanctions.

The reaction by the government spokesman comes after the United States said on Thursday it had determined that Sudan's military used chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year and will impose sanctions.

"These baseless accusations are nothing but political blackmail and a deliberate falsification of the facts," Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser said in a statement, responding to sanctions announced by Washington targeting US exports to Sudan and the government's access to US credits.

The US State Department said it notified Congress on Thursday of its determination on the use of chemical weapons, triggering sanctions after 15 days.

The sanctions include restrictions on US exports and financing to Sudan's government.

In practical terms, the effect will be limited as both Sudan's military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his adversary and former deputy, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, are already under US sanctions.

Africa's third largest country has been ravaged by more than two years of war between their respective forces.

The Sudan conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 13 million and created what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

'False narrative'

"The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations" under the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty signed by nearly all countries that prohibits their use, the State Department said on Thursday.

The government, now based in Port Sudan, on Friday denounced the accusations that the army had engaged in chemical warfare against its rivals.

"This false narrative, which the American administration is trying to spread internationally, is just another attempt to mislead public opinion," Aiser said.

He accused Washington of "complicity" with the RSF, citing in particular "the support of the United Arab Emirates".

The UAE has always rejected the charge that it supplies weapons to the RSF, despite numerous reports from UN experts, US political officials and international organisations.

"Washington remains silent on documented crimes against civilians in Darfur and other regions, crimes supported by the Emirates who provide militias with strategic drones and sophisticated American weapons," Aiser said.

The New York Times reported in January that Sudan's military had used chemical weapons on at least two occasions in remote areas in its war with the RSF.

Citing anonymous US officials, the newspaper said that the weapon appeared to be chlorine gas, which can cause severe respiratory pain and death.

Sudan's army said on Tuesday it had dislodged the RSF from their last positions in Omdurman, securing all of greater Khartoum nearly two months after recapturing the heart of the capital.

The war has effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the centre, north and east while the RSF controls nearly all of Darfur and, with its allies, parts of the south.The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Mudavadi reassured that the matter had been resolved amicably through diplomatic channels and cautioned against inflaming tensions through public outrage.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for calm and diplomatic maturity amid escalating tensions between Kenya and Tanzania.

This comes in the wake of the detention of activist Boniface Mwangi in Arusha and the deportation of prominent Kenyan figures Martha Karua and former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga from Tanzania.

 

In a statement, Mudavadi reassured the public that the matter had been resolved amicably through diplomatic channels and cautioned against inflaming tensions through public outrage.

“Let me begin by reassuring you that the Government upholds and defends the rights of all Kenyans, wherever they are in this world.We use our diplomatic channels, often behind the scenes, to engage with our friendly countries to resolve difficult issues,” he said.

The incident, which has sparked online uproar, added fuel to growing concerns over what many civil society groups describe as Tanzania’s democratic backsliding under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Despite initial praise following her 2021 ascension to power for softening the authoritarian legacy of her predecessor John Magufuli, Suluhu’s administration is increasingly facing criticism for silencing dissent.

Human rights watchdogs, including Amnesty International and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, have voiced alarm at Tanzania’s renewed clampdown on opposition voices and perceived interference with regional civic space.

“The decision to deport these high-profile Kenyan figures while detaining a vocal activist sends a chilling message not just to Tanzanians, but to East Africans committed to free expression and cross-border solidarity,”the human rights activist said.

Online, the hashtag #FreeBonifaceMwangi trended for hours, with users accusing President Suluhu’s government of stifling dialogue and overreacting to criticism.

Several Tanzanian opposition leaders also condemned the detentions, calling them an affront to East African unity and the right to peaceful assembly.

Mudavadi urged Kenyans to remain composed and consider the larger diplomatic stakes.

“While online activism can raise awareness on issues, it cannot replace the structured dialogue that preserves our bilateral ties and respect for each other’s sovereignty,” he cautioned. The path to resolution lay not in confrontation, but in cooperation,”he noted.

He underscored the deep economic interdependence between the two nations, citing data from the 2025 Economic Survey that shows Tanzania as Kenya’s sixth largest export destination and ninth largest import source. He also noted that around 250,000 Kenyans live, work, or do business in Tanzania, relying on stable cross-border ties.

“No nation prospers in isolation. Kenya’s development is anchored in strong economic ties and strategic partnerships with our neighbours,”Mudavadi stated.

“I urge all Kenyans to see the bigger picture, to embrace the quiet power of diplomacy, to uphold the dignity of our flag, and to remember that we are part of a region, not apart from it,”he added. By Irene Mwangi, Capital News.

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