Blanar: Slovakia and Tanzania Confirm their Interest in Pragmatic Partnership

Dar es Salaam, 11 June (TASR) - Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) held bilateral talks with his Tanzanian counterpart Mahmoud Thabit Kombo in Tanzania on Thursday, TASR was told by the ministry's communications department on the same day. According to the Slovak minister, both countries confirmed their interest in further deepening bilateral relations and strengthening economic cooperation. Blanar also reported that he had succeeded in securing Tanzania's support for Slovakia's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the years 2028–29. He added that the Slovak Republic had reciprocally expressed its support for Tanzania for the period 2029–30. "Tanzania is among the promising growing economies of East Africa, and we see great potential here for developing mutually beneficial cooperation. Our goal is to strengthen not only our political relations but also our economic ties through specific trade projects, investments, and partnerships that will deliver results for citizens and businesses on both sides," said Blanar. The ministers discussed opportunities for cooperation in various areas, including digital transformation, cybersecurity, water management, agriculture, the food and defence industries, nuclear energy, and the development of infrastructure and the automotive industry. They would like to further develop these topics within an economic cooperation commission, which they plan to set up jointly. Tanzania also expressed particular interest in Slovakia's experience in the field of modern technologies and industrial production. In this context, however, Blanar noted that developing new partnerships requires time and systematic work to build mutual trust. As part of the Slovak delegation's work programme, a Slovak-Tanzanian business forum and a meeting with representatives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) were also held in the capital, Dar es Salaam. Blanar's visit to Tanzania is the first at the government level since Slovakia was founded. am