TANZANIA: WHEN Tanzanians across Korea gather in the coastal city of Yeosu on 24 and 25 October this year, they will be celebrating more than a national occasion abroad. They will be marking 34 years of friendship between Tanzania and the Republic of Korea and showing how much of that friendship now rests on people, not just on governments.
Tanzania Diaspora Day 2026 will bring together Tanzanians living in Korea, representatives of government institutions, invited guests and friends of Tanzania in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do. Alongside culture, sport and community, the two-day event poses a forward-looking question: how can the growing Tanzanian community in Korea help open a new chapter of cooperation in education, employment, innovation, trade and investment?
The Embassy has organised the event with the Association of Tanzanians in Korea (TANROK) in recognition of the diaspora’s contribution to Tanzania’s development through remittances, investment, skills transfer and entrepreneurship. In 2024, remittances reached 2.116 tr/-, while diaspora investment through UTT-AMIS funds rose to 7.5 bn/-, up from 6.4 bn/- in 2023. With the right policies and support, that contribution can grow further.
Three Decades of Friendship
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in April 1992, Tanzania and Korea have built strong ties based on mutual respect and shared development goals. Cooperation now spans infrastructure, education, healthcare, technology, trade, investment, tourism and culture.
Momentum grew in June 2024, when Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, visited Korea for the inaugural Korea–Africa Summit. Among the outcomes was a framework providing up to USD 2.5 billion in concessional financing through Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) for 2024–2028.
Yet people remain at the heart of the relationship. Tanzanian students at Korean universities, public officials on capacity-building programmes, researchers and entrepreneurs all strengthen ties in ways formal diplomacy cannot. Their friendships and networks bring our two societies closer, and Diaspora Day is a chance to celebrate them.
Yeosu Comes Alive
Yeosu, with its maritime heritage and international outlook, is a fitting host for a celebration of connections across borders. Alongside cultural performances celebrating the heritage of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the programme will feature information clinics connecting the Tanzanian diaspora with public and private Tanzanian institutions and service providers on immigration, taxation, ports and logistics, banking and investment. There will also be room for open dialogue between the Embassy and the diaspora on welfare, careers, business and continued engagement with home.
Sport will also feature prominently, with planned friendly matches between Tanzanian participants, neighbouring African diaspora communities and youth teams. The highlight will be a match between Tanzania’s Under-17 national team, the Serengeti Boys, and Yeosu Marine FC U-18, a reminder that sport is a universal language that brings people together.
The Diaspora as a Bridge
The Tanzanian community in Korea, estimated at around 400 people and comprising students, researchers, professionals, entrepreneurs and families, is an important asset for both countries. Because they understand both societies, diaspora members are well placed to link businesses, universities, research institutions and communities.
They can introduce Korean investors to opportunities in Tanzania, promote Tanzanian products and tourist destinations, support academic exchanges and build partnerships in technology and entrepreneurship. Their knowledge of Korea’s business environment can also feed back into Tanzania’s development through mentorship, knowledge transfer and investment.
That is why we see the diaspora not merely as citizens living abroad, but as partners in economic diplomacy. The Embassy is committed to deepening engagement with Tanzanians in Korea, improving access to information and backing initiatives that connect their expertise with opportunities at home.
Just as important are the everyday encounters in classrooms, workplaces and neighbourhoods, where Tanzanians introduce their culture and aspirations to Korean society. These people-to-people ties are the foundation on which diplomatic and economic partnerships grow and prosper.
From Scholarships to Skills
Education has long been at the core of Tanzania–Korea cooperation. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Korean universities and other institutions, Tanzanian students, officials, researchers and professionals have benefited from scholarships, postgraduate study and technical training.
Korea’s support also reaches infrastructure, healthcare and institutional capacity-building. According to Tanzania’s Ministry of Finance, KOICA had provided approximately USD 139.5 million in grants under a cooperation programme established in 2014, as reported in March 2024. The EDCF, meanwhile, finances major development projects under the USD 2.5 billion framework.
The lasting value lies beyond the numbers, in the knowledge, expertise and networks these programmes create. Tanzanian beneficiaries gain exposure to advanced technologies and to Korea’s own experience of industrial transformation.
As we celebrate Diaspora Day, we extend heartfelt appreciation to KOICA, Korean universities and other development partners for their contribution to building Tanzania’s human capital. The next step is to link scholarships and training more closely with research, innovation, industry and skilled employment, so that both nations continue to benefit. In this regard, Tanzania commends the Korean government’s decision to extend the D-10 job-seeker visa for graduates of Korean universities from two years to a maximum of three.
Connecting Talent with Opportunity
Skilled employment is a promising new frontier. Korea’s ageing population and labour shortages in some industries have raised demand for international talent, while Tanzania has a growing pool of skilled professionals in engineering, information technology, healthcare, research, digital services and technical trades.
During President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s 2024 visit, Tanzania expressed interest in labour cooperation through Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS). Building on this, the two countries could pursue structured dialogue on professional visas, skills recognition, Korean-language training and partnerships between employers, universities and technical institutions, in line with Korea’s immigration and labour regulations.
Such cooperation should do more than fill vacancies. Korean employers would gain qualified professionals; Tanzanian workers would gain international experience and expertise that benefit their careers and their country. Any arrangement must be guided by verified labourmarket demand, transparent recruitment, fair working conditions and strong protection of workers’ rights.
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Empowering the Next Generation
Young people must be at the centre of this agenda. Tanzanian graduates and professionals need the skills, language proficiency and practical experience to compete in Korea’s evolving labour market. Partnerships among universities, research institutions, training centres and businesses could open doors to internships, exchanges and joint research, within safe, transparent and lawful pathways.
The diaspora can help through mentorship, networking and support for newly arriving students and professionals. The Embassy, working with Tanzanian and Korean institutions, will continue to build practical partnerships that help young people realise their potential.
Looking Ahead
Diaspora Day 2026 will be more than a celebration of identity, culture and community. It is a platform to strengthen connections, engage with institutions from home, recognise Korea’s longstanding contribution to Tanzania’s development and explore how 34 years of friendship can inspire new partnerships in innovation, skills and employment.
I look forward to joining our diaspora community in Yeosu. I encourage every Tanzanian in Korea to take part, celebrate our shared heritage, strengthen their networks and find ways to contribute to Tanzania’s development.
I equally invite Korean institutions, universities, businesses, employers and development partners to keep building meaningful partnerships with Tanzania.
Tanzania–Korea relations will be strengthened by our people, enriched by our cultures and sustained by the opportunities we create together for future generations. Let us each play our part.
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