THE UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, will visit Tanzania from February 19 to 20, 2025, to enhance cooperation between the UK and Tanzania.

In a statement released today, February 18, 2025, by the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam, the visit aims to strengthen relations in trade, investment, clean energy, and health, marking his first visit by a UK minister to Tanzania since the new UK government took office in July last year.

The statement also highlighted that with the two-day visit, Collins will tour the Port of Dar es Salaam to underscore the shared commitment of the UK and Tanzania to economic growth and the importance of infrastructure like the port in boosting both national and international trade.

Over the past decade, the UK has invested over £55 million in Tanzania’s infrastructure, including £10 million allocated to the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway program, which has modernized and improved the efficiency of the port.

Lord Collins will also meet senior government officials, ministers, and business leaders to explore ways to enhance trade and investment between the two nations and assess progress in implementing the Shared Prosperity Agreement signed in April 2024.

“Since the agreement’s signing, the UK has announced a new $45 million investment through British International Investment in renewable energy and telecommunications, alongside £5.5 million in affordable loans for small and medium-sized enterprises,” highlighted the statement.

The minister will also highlight UK-Tanzania cooperation in tackling global health challenges. He will visit the National Public Health Laboratory to engage with scientists playing a crucial role in disease surveillance, including efforts to combat the Marburg virus outbreak.

This laboratory benefits from UK support through the Fleming Fund, a £265 million UK aid program assisting 25 African and Asian countries in fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Additionally, the UK has allocated over £1 million to bolster Tanzania’s health security, focusing on disease surveillance and emergency response to outbreaks such as the Marburg virus in Kagera.

Ahead of his visit, Lord Collins stated: "Tanzania is a close friend of the UK, and our long-standing partnership continues to grow each day. I look forward to strengthening our collaboration in trade, investment, and sustainable development – from improving critical infrastructure to supporting the health sector and climate change efforts. The UK is ready to work alongside Tanzania to unlock opportunities for shared prosperity."

According to the statement, Collins will launch a feasibility study to identify investment opportunities in Tanzania’s strategic minerals sector, essential for renewable energy. This study is funded by the UK’s ‘Manufacturing Africa’ initiative. He will also visit a company engaged in manufacturing electric-powered transportation.

His visit follows that of the UK’s Special Representative on Climate Change, Rachel Kyte, who was in Dar es Salaam last month for the Africa Energy Mission 300 Conference. During her visit, she announced an £8.5 million UK government contribution to the African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), aimed at supporting private sector investments in renewable energy and expanding access to clean energy across Africa.