The 80th Anniversary of the Italian Republic (2 June 1946 – 2 June 2026)
On 13 May, 2026 the launching event of the 2 million euro project “Towards the Next Generation of Sustainable Quality Coffee Producers in Southern Tanzania” took place in Mbeya. The initiative is financed by the Italian Cooperation and is implemented in Mbeya, Ruvuma and Songwe regions by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, in cooperation with several Tanzanian and Italian institutions and stakeholders. Italy is committed to supporting the modernization of the coffee value chain in Tanzania, with a special focus on youth, smallholder farmers and women.
Muktasari:
- Celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Italy
On 2 June 1946, following the devastation of World War II and twenty years of fascist regime, the Italian people voted to establish the Republic, grounded in freedom, democracy, a multi-party system and civil and social rights. Today we also celebrate the first Italian women voting in the 2 June 1946 referendum.
These values continue to shape Italy’s democratic institutions and our commitment to regional integration, as a founding member of the European Union, and multilateralism, within the United Nations and other international organizations.
In 2026, we also celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Italy. Since 1961, cooperation between our two countries has steadily expanded across many sectors. Symbols of this close cooperation are TIPER (Tanzanian and Italian Petroleum Refinery Limited) and TAZAMA (Tanzania Zambia Mafuta) pipeline, both built by AGIP between 1966 and 1968. The ties between our peoples, however, go back even further. In 1885, the first Italian Consulate was established in Zanzibar, while in 1919 the Consolata missionaries arrived in Iringa.
Beyond the very solid institutional dimension, a wide range of actors have contributed to strengthening our partnership, ensuring a deep people-to-people dimension: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the private sector, missionaries and religious orders, academia, archeologists, the many Italians that have chosen Tanzania as their second or main home, and tourists.
This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved since 2 June 2025 and to reflect on future priorities in our bilateral relations. Amongst many, I wish to highlight some of our joint achievements.
Ambassador Giuseppe Coppola and Hon. Judge Mwanabaraka Mnyukwa at the closing ceremony of the “Training on International Judicial Cooperation Focusing on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters”, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and organized by Sant’Anna School of Pisa in collaboration with the Institute of Judicial Administration of Lushoto. Italy works in close cooperation with Tanzanian institutions to build capacities in the judicial sector and foster international judicial cooperation against transnational organized crime.
The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) confirms that our trade and investment relations continued to grow steadily. In 2025, Italian exports to Tanzania reached approximately 180 million euros (159 million euros in 2024). Imports from Tanzania also increased significantly, rising to approximately 240 million euros (77 million euros in 2024). We are committed to facilitating even stronger commercial exchanges.
In the last year, several Italian companies entered the Tanzanian market, such as Chiesi Farmaceutici, Danieli, ITR, ITS Engineering and Limonta, increasing the number of companies active in a wide range of sectors: renewable energy, infrastructure, agro-industry, mining, transport and logistics, digital, tourism and health. With their strong social and environmental responsibility, our companies contribute to creating jobs and transferring quality technology, promoting sustainable development.
In the last year we achieved substantial progress in the implementation of the initiatives jointly identified in the framework of the Mattei Plan for Africa, launched by the Italian government in 2024, for which Tanzania has been identified as a focus country in January 2025. The participation of H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the second Italy-Africa Summit, co-chaired by the President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni in Addis Ababa on 13 February 2026, confirmed our strong commitment to further deepening our bilateral relations, based on mutual respect and shared priorities.
On 28 April, 2026, in the presence of the Ministers of Finance, Hon. Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, and Transport, Hon. Prof. Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa, I attended the signing ceremony for the financing framework of Lots 3 and 4 of the Standard Gauge Railway, from Makutupora to Isaka via Tabora, with SACE (the Italian Export Credit Agency) contributing approximately 250 million euros. This initiative confirms Italy’s strong commitment to supporting the development of quality strategic infrastructures in Tanzania, in particular the Central Corridor, with positive implications also for regional trade and integration.
Concrete progress has also been made in our initiatives aimed at strengthening Tanzania’s coffee value chain, in particular the ACT Programme (Advancing Climate-resilience and Transformation in African Coffee), financed by the Italian Cooperation and implemented by UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), in close coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tanzania Coffee Board.
On 13 May, I also had the pleasure to launch the initiative, “Towards the next generation of sustainable quality coffee producers in Southern Tanzania”, funded by the Italian Cooperation and implemented in the Regions of Mbeya, Songwe and Ruvuma by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the University of Trieste and Illy. Both initiatives aim at sharing Italy’s experience in the coffee sector, transferring quality technology, building capacities, protecting the environment, with a special focus on youth, smallholder farmers and women.
Also, in the framework of the Mattei Plan, Danieli, a global leader in the steel sector, is exploring the possibility of investing in a state-of-the-art steel plant in Tanzania, ensuring technology transfer which could be strategic for Tanzania’s industrialization. Italian institutions, such as SACE and CDP (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti), are planning further support to initiatives in strategic sectors for Tanzania’s socioeconomic development.
Alongside these efforts the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation (AICS) is implementing initiatives aimed at strengthening vocational training for young girls and boys, in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, including in the tourist sector. Among the several ongoing activities of the Italian Cooperation, I wish to recall the completion of the SHINE and WECARE projects, focused on empowering people and children with disabilities.
In January, 2026, in Dodoma we successfully closed the Diverse Food System initiative, focused on improving nutrition. Let me also take this opportunity to highlight the recent launch of the initiative aimed at strengthening the East African Statistical Training Center (EASTC) educational offer and of the MACORESI project, focused on reproductive and maternal health. Several Italian CSOs have continued to contribute to the socio-economic development of Tanzania, mainly in the health, education and agricultural sectors.
Cultural ties have continued to grow stronger over the past year. Three Italian archaeological missions continued their work, contributing to preserving and promoting Tanzania’s rich cultural heritage. We attached a special attention to contemporary art and design, supporting the first installation in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Iringa, of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “Third Paradise” and the “Glass Bridge” initiative that brought master glass artisans from Murano to Arusha. We commend Tanzania’s participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale and we encourage Tanzanians to travel to Italy this year to visit the Tanzanian Pavillion!
Tanzania has continued to be chosen by many Italian tourists for their holidays, both Mainland and Zanzibar, where Italians have been the largest share of the tourist flow since the early ‘90s. The Italian airline Neos will soon launch new seasonal routes to Kilimanjaro International Airport and Zanzibar, with new direct flights from Bari and Catania.
As a close partner of Tanzania since 1961, we were extremely saddened by the loss of so many lives during the events that shook the country following the 29 October General Election. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the affected families.
We are committed to supporting Tanzania’s development path. All the activities Italy is promoting in Tanzania can genuinely contribute to tackling socio-economic challenges, with particular attention to job opportunities for young people. We stand ready to support the efforts of the Tanzanian Government to improve the investment and business environment and to promote private sector-led and inclusive economic growth, essential for creating prosperity and employment opportunities, especially for young people.
Over the last eighty years, the Italian Republic overcame its most challenging periods through constructive dialogue among all political and social stakeholders, thus strengthening democratic institutions and promoting inclusive growth, in line with the very same values enshrined in our Constitution. Italy stands ready to support Tanzania’s efforts to promote national reconciliation, essential to heal and restore peace, trust, unity, and cohesion.
As we celebrate Italy’s National Day, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the friendly and genuine partnership between our two nations, founded on mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation.
Mungu Ibariki Tanzania!
Mungu Ibariki Italia!
H.E. Giuseppe Seán Coppola, Ambassador of Italy to Tanzania.
