Tanzania and Qatar Resume First Round of Negotiations on Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement
Doha, 26 November 2025
The United Republic of Tanzania and the State of Qatar have resumed the First Round of Negotiations on the Draft Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments. The negotiations were held in Doha from 24–26 November 2025, facilitated by the Embassy of Tanzania in Doha and Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The negotiations focused on strengthening economic cooperation, creating favourable investment conditions, and ensuring fair and equitable treatment of investors. The Qatari delegation was led by Dr. Khaled Yousef Al-Derbesti, Senior Trade and Investment Consultant of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the State of Qatar, while the Tanzanian delegation was headed by Amb. Prof. Kennedy Godfrey Gastorn, Adviser to the President on Legal Affairs and Treaties of the United Republic of Tanzania.
During the negotiations, the Articles of the draft Agreement were reviewed in detail. Several provisions were agreed upon, while Articles 9 and 10 on dispute settlement were reserved for further consideration during the second round of negotiations. The Parties also agreed to continue discussions on the remaining provisions. Several substantive issues were successfully resolved, and the negotiations were conducted in a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding.
However, the meeting made the following recommendations:
a) Tanzania should consider amending its Companies Act to require the registration and disclosure of shareholding structures, thereby enhancing transparency with respect to investors benefiting from investment protection.
b) A meeting of legal stakeholders should be convened to further examine and refine the dispute settlement provisions of the draft Agreement.
Both Parties expressed appreciation for the constructive engagement during the negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to concluding an Agreement that is consistent with the respective legal frameworks of both countries. The Government of the State of Qatar further expressed its openness to consider any additional improvements or amendments proposed by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. The second round of negotiations on the outstanding provisions is expected to take place in the first half of 2026.