Celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Italy
On 2 June 1946, following the devastation of World War II and twenty years of fascist regime, the Italian people voted to establish the Republic, grounded in freedom, democracy, a multi-party system and civil and social rights. Today we also celebrate the first Italian women voting in the 2 June 1946 referendum. These values continue to shape Italy’s democratic institutions and our commitment to regional integration, as a founding member of the European Union, and multilateralism, within the United Nations and other international organizations.
In 2026, we also celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Italy. Since 1961, cooperation between our two countries has steadily expanded across many sectors. Symbols of this close cooperation are TIPER (Tanzanian and Italian Petroleum Refinery Limited) and TAZAMA (Tanzania Zambia Mafuta) pipeline, both built by AGIP between 1966 and 1968. The ties between our peoples, however, go back even further. In 1885, the first Italian Consulate was established in Zanzibar, while in 1919 the Consolata missionaries arrived in Iringa.
Beyond the very solid institutional dimension, a wide range of actors have contributed to strengthening our partnership, ensuring a deep people-to-people dimension: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the private sector, missionaries and religious orders, academia, archeologists, the many Italians that have chosen Tanzania as their second or main home, and tourists.
