Singapore President Tours Africa, ‘The Next Frontier of Development’
From 2 to 10 June 2026, Singapore‘s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam conducted an official visit to South Africa and Tanzania. The visit to Tanzania marks the first-ever visit by a Singaporean head of state to Tanzania since diplomatic ties were established 45 years ago.
President Shanmugaratnam was in South Africa from 2 to 8 June 2026 and met with both President Ramaphosa and Vice-President Mashatile. In particular, the two sides explored ways to reinforce partnerships between South Africa and ASEAN. Although no accord was signed, the visit was presented as an ‘official working visit’ and an opportunity for deepening political and economic ties.
In Tanzania, Shanmugaratnam met with Tanzanian President Samia Hassan and Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi. On the other hand, a series of documents was signed in Tanzania. The biggest breakthrough is the initiation of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Singapore and the East African Community (EAC).
The EAC is an 8-country regional bloc, consisting of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and is currently chaired by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, while day-to-day administration is under the responsibility of Tanzanian Ambassador Stephen Mbundi, who holds the post of Secretary-General of the grouping.
Among other agreements of note, Singapore and Tanzania signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty (#DTAT) and a Carbon Market Cooperation MoU to leverage the Singapore International Financial Center as a platform to mobilize green financing and foster sustainable development.
On the medical front, the National University of Singapore Medical School and Tanzania’s Muhimbili University of Health will collaborate on gene therapy to combat sickle cell disease, which affects 11,000 newborns in Tanzania annually.
Africa is the fastest-growing region in the world, and this high-level African tour reflects Singapore’s growing interest in Africa. Singapore views Africa as ‘the next frontier of development.’