Tanzania and Oman have signed two agreements to expand maritime cooperation and diplomatic training, including mutual recognition of seafarers’ professional certificates….reports Africa Daily News Desk
Tanzania and Oman have signed two agreements to strengthen cooperation in maritime transport and diplomatic education, opening up opportunities for seafarers from both countries and expanding professional exchanges between their foreign affairs institutions.
The agreements were signed on November 10, 2026, in Zanzibar during the third ministerial-level session of the Tanzania-Oman Joint Permanent Commission (JPC).
Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Amb. Dr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, and Oman’s Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, signed the agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of their respective governments.
The maritime transport agreement provides for the mutual recognition of seafarers’ certificates of competency and proficiency in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978.
The arrangement involves Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC).
Under the agreement, certificates issued by the competent authorities of both countries will be recognised, provided they meet the requirements of the international convention. This will allow Tanzanian seafarers to work aboard Omani vessels and their Omani counterparts to serve on Tanzanian vessels.
New push for maritime jobs and diplomatic exchanges
The second agreement focuses on diplomatic education and training, establishing a framework for cooperation between Tanzania’s Dr Salim Ahmed Salim Centre for Foreign Relations and the Oman Diplomatic Academy.
The Tanzanian institution operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, while the Oman Diplomatic Academy comes under Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The MoU provides for exchanges of diplomats, experts, trainers and students, alongside the development of joint training programmes, seminars and research initiatives.
It also encourages the sharing of expertise and experiences in areas including foreign policy, international law and international affairs.
Tanzanian Foreign Minister Kombo highlighted the importance of the agreements in broadening bilateral cooperation, strengthening professional capabilities and delivering tangible benefits to citizens of both countries.
His Omani counterpart, Albusaidi, reaffirmed Oman’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations and advancing partnerships that offer mutual benefits.
Both ministers stressed the importance of translating the agreements into practical initiatives that support shared development and prosperity.
