President Hichilema’s Visit To Tanzania Strengthens Economic Cooperation

President Hakainde Hichilema visited Tanzania on Monday for the inauguration ceremony of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. In a statement released by State House, Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka said that the visit is “driven by Zambia’s long-term national interests and undertaken in line with the country’s diplomatic and economic principles.”

Zambia and Tanzania maintain robust collaboration on critical infrastructure projects such as TAZARA, the TAZAMA Pipeline, and the Port of Dar es Salam – all essential to Zambia’s trade capacity and logistics network. Given Zambia is a landlocked country, the success of its crucial copper industry is reliant on the smooth running of these systems. This in turn helps to provide economic stability and ensure that ordinary Zambians are not affected by spikes in commodity prices.

The two countries are also in the process of developing a cross-border energy interconnector to link the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) with the Eastern African Power Pool (EAPP). This project is expected to be completed in 2028 providing more reliable energy access, particularly in northern Zambia, making load shedding less likely.

Mr. Hamasaka noted that President Hichilema’s attendance of the inauguration “provides an opportunity to reaffirm Zambia’s commitment to keeping these economic channels open and to continue engaging constructively on matters that directly impact the livelihoods of our people.”

The statement also said that “President Hichilema is a committed democrat who consistently upholds the values of free, fair, and credible elections. These are principles he champions and lives by every day in office.”

This visit reflects the Hichilema administration's broader vision of positioning Zambia as a reliable regional partner committed to mutual prosperity, democratic governance, and economic advancement for all its citizens.