Korean government played a pivotal role in the country’s economic expansion in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in close collaboration with the private sector. South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises to be better supported and leveraged in order to enhance the country’s success in sub-Saharan Africa. Engagement of Korea in SSA is also clearly seen in the country’s participation in different regions of Africa and specific differences can also be seen in the regional trade contributions. In year 2015 alone SADC region was the largest importer of Korea with a value of 3.6 US$ Billion.

Trade and business activities between Korea and Tanzania have been growing continuously. In the year 2010 Tanzania recorded the highest ever exports to Korea reached USD 70 million among all East African countries and Korean exports to Tanzania have grown from USD 77 million in 2008 to USD 193 million in 2015. In 2016, trade between the two countries reached almost USD 200 million. Number of visitors between the countries is growing with currently there are more than 3,000 people visiting each other’s country annually.

Korea has already achieved a remarkable economic performance that transformed the country from a typical case of a developing nation trapped in a “vicious circle of underdevelopment”, into one of the largest economies in the late 1990s. Such initiative can be emulated in a developing country like Tanzania with plenty of natural resources that can be used to develop the economy. Therefore, establishment of Korean studies Center (KSC – UDSM) will be of great importance in attaining that goal.

Dr. Robert Suphian

Coordinator