History was made Wednesday, June 3, when Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan touched down in Moscow for a three-day visit, the first by a Tanzanian head of state since that of President Julius Nyerere, 57 years ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin rolled out the red carpet for the event, which later included Hassan’s attendance at the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026) on June 5. Putin further honored his guest at the SPEIF plenum, as Hassan was one of only four speakers at the opening session, following Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to be followed by the Vice President of China, Han Zheng.
The Russian and Tanzanian delegations, led respectively by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Tanzanian President, met first on June 3. Offering a warm welcome, Putin declared that this year is the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and noted that her visit to Moscow was her first official foreign visit since her inauguration for her second term earlier this year. For her part the Tanzanian President noted that she was particularly honored by the visit since it was the first visit of a Tanzanian head of state since 1969.
On June 4, President Hassan was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. On June 5, she addressed the Tanzania–Russia Business and Investment Forum held alongside SPIEF 2026, where she challenged business leaders from both countries to “move from rhetoric to action,” and translate opportunities into concrete investments. Declaring that the African Union’s Agenda 2063 is Tanzania’s development model, she said Tanzania’s development projects underway or recently completed are impressive, including the Standard Gauge Railway and the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Project. Even more impressive are its projects scheduled under its current five-year plan and beyond.
