Tanzania, Egypt forge strategic partnership to advance fertilizer mineral processing

Cairo. In a major move aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and industrial growth, Tanzania and Egypt have formally agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in the processing and value addition of minerals essential for fertilizer production.

The agreement was reached during bilateral discussions between Tanzania’s Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, and Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, on the margins of the Egypt Mining Forum held at the St Regis Hotel in Cairo over the weekend.

The bilateral engagement builds upon a long-standing historical relationship between the two nations, reinforced by sustained diplomatic exchanges and official reciprocal visits by their respective heads of state.

Expressing optimism regarding the expanded collaboration, Mr Mavunde emphasized that the discussions were structured around leveraging the shared leadership vision to exchange technical expertise and unlock strategic opportunities across both mining sectors.

Central to the initiative is a technical exchange program between Tanzanian and Egyptian geological experts, focusing primarily on research, resource mapping, and the sustainable exploitation of phosphate reserves.

Tanzania possesses extensive deposits of phosphate; however, the resource remains underutilized relative to its commercial potential. Consequently, the nation currently expends in excess of $500 million annually on imported fertilizers, underscoring the urgent necessity to build domestic refining and production capacity with Egyptian technical support.

As part of the operational roadmap, major Egyptian industrial investors in the fertilizer manufacturing sector are scheduled to undertake an official delegation visit to Tanzania.

The visit aims to assess on-ground investment prospects, particularly in direct extraction, local processing, and value-addition initiatives designed to reduce import dependencies across the region.

Mr Badawi commended Tanzania’s regulatory framework for the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, noting its significant role in national economic development.

Small-scale mining operations currently contribute over 40 per cent of total revenue collected within Tanzania's mining sector, an achievement highlighted during the talks as a benchmark model for inclusive resource management across the African continent.