Inside new Kenya and Tanzania foreign policies

Zawya

3 days ago

Kenya and Tanzania have, separately, launched foreign policies looking to cement trading and integration ties, suggesting that the recent public spats between their peoples has no impact on their plans.
Last week, Tanzania launched its revised edition of the foreign policy amid push back against Kenyan and Ugandan activists bashing it over the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
The new edition of the Tanzanian foreign policy has labelled this strategy a 'dual-track' management of international relations. It places neighbours such as Kenya, Uganda and other partners in the East African Community (EAC), and Africa, on one side, and partners beyond the continent on the other.
Tanzania, President Suluhu said, will enhance and reset trade ties, revitalise cross-border trade under the EAC harmonised regional business protocols, and attract multinational business companies to the region.'This is a journey of new thinking in building our diplomatic presence and positioning our country and government on the international stage,' the Tanzanian leader said on May 19.
Kenya's foreign policyMeanwhile in Kenya, Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025, the parliamentary document that adopted the new foreign policy, states that the country will strengthen ties within the region while adjusting to a changing world order, adopting new measures and seeking new partners.
According to an appended note from President William Ruto, Kenya has a 'steadfast trajectory towards prioritising regional integration, deepening of intra-African ties and elevating new pan-Africanism, even as we continue to strengthen and expand our country's global footprints'.
Nairobi sees the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as crucial.
Anthony Mwangi: How AfCFTA can insulate Africa against trade warsThe policy states that Kenya will also endeavour 'to maintain an independent and pragmatic foreign policy, which basically requires that the country elevates partnerships with traditional allies, while diversifying into building new relationships with the rising powers and formations like the Brics.'Kenya and Tanzania have prioritised tourism through shared cross-border resources, mostly the wildlife, geographic attractive areas, including mountains, lakes and the Indian Ocean beaches, cultural and historical heritages.
Change of stanceBut they are also upending some of their traditions.
For example, the Kenyan document suggests a case-by-case analysis of entities on self-determination. While Kenya recognises the One China policy with regard to Taiwan and the federal government in Mogadishu as the entity in charge of Somalia as a whole, it is changing its stance on supporting the secession of Western Sahara.
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations recommended this change, citing 'the evolving nature of geopolitics.'Kenya, which had stayed out of the Brics+ race, now says it will consider joining the bloc in the future.'As it continues to monitor the strategic significance of this bloc, Kenya has meanwhile, signalled its intent to consider joining the Brics, which has emerged as a major economic and trading bloc, which by early 2024 represented 46 percent of the world's population, 35 percent of the world's GDP when measured at purchasing power parity, and 23.3 percent share of the global merchandise exports,' the policy says.
Tanzania's foreign policyTanzania's ruling CCM party supported the political liberation of like-minded countries across the continent. For example, it backed the African National Congress in their fight against apartheid in South Africa and supported decolonisation in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Tanzania now seeks stronger economic ties with these partners, and is looking to forge new partnerships beyond the continent — a lesson learnt from the past.'The emergence of trade wars has led to monopolies and protectionism, eroding the principles of global commerce and shaking the foundations of our promised globalisation,' President Suluhu said.
The new policy shows that Dodoma will strengthen its role in regional blocs, contrary to public perception of aloofness to regional integration. In fact, it says it will improve infrastructure connecting to all its neighbours to ease trade and raise cooperation on security and other common challenges.
With a population of about 320 million people, the EAC creates a large, single market worth about $254 billion, making it a powerful regional bloc with greater influence to global economic platforms, the Tanzanian policy says.
One project seen as crucial is $10 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) with Uganda, which Dodoma sees as a pillar to cement regional cooperation. Even in the face of mounting anti-crude oil campaigners, both countries have stuck to the project, seeing it as crucial to the export of the oil from Uganda's Albertine Basin.
Kenya's Foreign and Diaspora Ministry said this week that Tanzania is still one of its most important regional trading a partners, with about 250,000 Kenyans living and doing business in Tanzania.'Tanzania ranks sixth among Kenya's export destinations, accounting for 23 percent of our exports to the East African Community market,' said Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
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