Nyusi reestablishes relations with Tanzania after Magufuli's death
Former Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who passed away in March 2021, had maintained a tense relationship with the government of Mozambique, to the extent of boycotting the inauguration ceremonies of President Filipe Nyusi in 2019, when he was re-elected for his second term.
Magufuli's animosity towards Mozambique stemmed from billion-dollar investments in the gas sector in Cabo Delgado, a border region with Tanzania.
Magufuli's death at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of his successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, opened a window of opportunity for the Mozambican statesman to rekindle ties with Tanzania, relaunching and strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two previously estranged states and peoples.
Following John Magufuli's death, Mozambique and Tanzania entered a phase of greater openness, not only in defense and security but also in judicial institutions.
During Magufuli's tenure, it was noticeable that he did not collaborate in combating the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, despite being the president of the 'Troika' of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security, which obliged him to promote coordinated efforts against armed groups in Cabo Delgado province.
Since 2022, winds of change have blown from both Maputo and Dar es Salaam. In 2022, Samia Suluhu Hassan made a state visit to Mozambique, aimed at improving diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In September 2023, Mozambique and Tanzania signed two agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sectors of peace and security. These agreements aimed to address challenges related to the evacuation of displaced persons victims of terrorism seeking asylum in Tanzania but who were not received due to past political disputes.
This week, Nyusi concluded a four-day working visit to Tanzania, where the governments are considering introducing maritime cabotage services as part of strengthening bilateral cooperation.
This intention represents a new phase in relations, especially in the political and economic fields, previously hampered by disputes over natural resources in the Rovuma Basin in Cabo Delgado.
Mozambique and Tanzania will launch an initiative that could help catapult small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the economy of both countries.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced that a Business Forum between the two countries will soon be organized to deepen and project the commercial gains that maritime movement in the ports will bring to citizens.
“One of the things that can be considered and that can start immediately is the cabotage between the ports of Dar es Salaam, Mtwara [in Tanzania], and the ports of Nacala and Pemba, because this movement will bring some activity to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs,” stated Nyusi.
During a joint press conference in Dar es Salaam, Nyusi and Hassan expressed concern about the significant decrease in trade volume between the two neighboring countries. Bilateral trade drastically fell from 55.8 million dollars in 2022 to 20.1 million dollars in 2023.
On this occasion, the two presidents agreed to investigate the causes of the decline in trade volume, including possible security-related issues.
This new phase of cooperation between Mozambique and Tanzania not only promises to improve security and stability in the Cabo Delgado region but also to revitalize the economy of both countries, directly benefiting their populations.
