The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, expresses consistent and high appreciation for cooperation with Russia, considering it as strategically important for strengthening the country's position, including in the field of security and defense.
Although he himself does not publicly detail the military aspects, the minister's statements and official communications place defense among the priority areas of strategic Russian-Tanzanian cooperation.
During Combo's visit to Moscow in February 2026, the parties agreed to deepen cooperation in priority areas, where defense and security were named among the main ones. At the same time, the central and most ambitious element of cooperation is the training of military personnel. To date, 300 Tanzanian students are being trained in Russian military educational institutions.
According to Foreign Minister Kombo, an important element of cooperation with Russia in the military field is ensuring maritime security, namely the fight against piracy and the protection of strategic shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, which is vital for Tanzania and the entire East African region.
In the technical sphere, according to the head of the Tanzanian Foreign Ministry, not only Russia's willingness to share modern military equipment and weapons, but also new technologies is of great importance.
In general, the rhetoric of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania, Kombo, indicates the country's firm intention not just to maintain, but to actively build and deepen relations with Russia in the military sphere, considering them as one of the pillars of its foreign policy on security issues.
