Readout of Mayor Johnson’s official visit to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
After his official visit to Zanzibar, Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson arrived in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, on the evening of Sunday, July 20, and was welcomed by representatives from the United States Embassy and Her Excellency Dr. Elsie Kanza, Ambassador of Tanzania to the United States.
Over the next three days, Mayor Johnson met with prominent Tanzanian government officials and business leaders, culminating in the signing of an official Sister City agreement with Dar es Salaam. Throughout his many meetings and speaking engagements, the Mayor highlighted the historic nature of his visit to Africa, the significance of Dallas’s first formal partnership with an African city, and the opportunities for mutual growth and shared prosperity between Dallas and Dar es Salaam through economic, educational, and cultural exchange. Over the course of his official visit, the Mayor was accompanied by United States Embassy officials, Ambassador Kanza, and Mr. Ben Kazora, President of the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce.
On the morning of Monday, July 21, Mayor Johnson met with the Honorable Omary S. Kumbilamoto, Lord Mayor of Dar es Salaam, and Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila. Mayor Johnson and Lord Mayor Kumbilamoto discussed the monumental significance of the upcoming Sister City agreement, which they would sign the following day.
Mayor Johnson emphasized that cultural and educational exchanges are key to a thriving Sister City relationship, in addition to economic trade. Regional Commissioner Chalamila affirmed the value of this partnership and invited Dallas businesses to invest in Dar es Salaam, citing its strategic location, dynamic workforce, and role as a gateway for East African commerce.
The Mayor then visited the United States Embassy to meet with Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Howard and his team of subject matter experts who provided a country briefing. Mayor Johnson also met with officials from the Dar Centre for Architectural Heritage and the African Liberation Museum, where he reflected on the richness of Tanzanian history and its global significance, particularly in African liberation movements, underscoring the value of cultural exchange.
The American Chamber of Commerce Tanzania hosted Mayor Johnson for his final event of the day. The Mayor delivered remarks promoting Dallas as the ideal city to grow United States-Tanzania trade and reinforced the importance of trust and personal relationships as the foundation of thriving international partnerships. The Mayor emphasized that Dallas is becoming the center for United States-Tanzania commerce and invited Tanzanian business leaders to anchor their United States presence in Dallas.
On Tuesday, July 22, Mayor Johnson began his day meeting with Ambassador John Ulanga, Director of Economic Diplomacy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. After the meeting, Ambassador Ulanga moderated a high-level roundtable discussion, which included the Honorable Professor Palamagamba John Kabudi, Minister of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports of Tanzania; Ambassador Kanza; Lord Mayor Kumbilamoto; and Chargé d’Affaires Howard. It focused on Dallas as a partner in trade, investment, cultural exchange, and tourism, and Mayor Johnson highlighted Dallas’s strong economy and its unique role in United States-Tanzania commerce.
Following the roundtable, a formal signing ceremony of the Sister City agreement between Dallas and Dar es Salaam took place. After four years of relationship-building, including virtual meetings, Tanzanian delegation visits, and the opening of a Tanzanian trade office in Dallas, the bond between Dallas and Dar es Salaam, and the nation of Tanzania, was made stronger than ever.
In April 2022, the Mayor signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the goals for the Dallas-Tanzania relationship. And on Tuesday, three of those objectives were fulfilled when Mayor Johnson signed the official Sister City agreement with Dar es Salaam Lord Mayor Kumbilamoto. The agreement sets the stage for a new chapter of the Dallas-Dar es Salaam partnership, outlining a vision for economic and cultural exchange between the two cities. This vision includes economic development, small business exchange programs, student exchange programs, and tourism partnerships.
The Honorable Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, then met with Mayor Johnson and congratulated him on the historic significance of the Sister City agreement. During their meeting, the Mayor stated that the connection between Dallas and Tanzania goes beyond formal agreements and is grounded in genuine connections and mutual respect. He also highlighted the opportunities for economic, cultural, and educational exchange, as well as tourism.
Mayor Johnson concluded the day with a networking dinner hosted by the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce, where he delivered remarks reaffirming the unique partnership between Dallas and Tanzania and emphasizing Dallas’s role as the gateway for Tanzanian business expansion into the United States. The Mayor noted that successful business partnerships must be built on trust and strong personal relationships, adding that such relationships must be developed in person, underscoring the importance of his visit to Tanzania. He invited Tanzanian business leaders to visit Dallas and explore its investment opportunities, highlighting the importance of sustaining the strong momentum in the Dallas-Tanzania partnership.
On Wednesday, July 23, Mayor Johnson visited a factory operated by the Tanzania Tooku Garments Company, a key player in Tanzania’s garment manufacturing sector. The factory employs over 4,000 people and specializes in producing denim jeans for well-known brands such as Wrangler and Levi’s, contributing significantly to local employment and industry growth.
This factory visit marked the final stop of Mayor Johnson’s official visit to Dar es Salaam. He then departed the city and continued his visit to Tanzania with a stop in the city of Arusha.
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