Unguja. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (SMZ) has signed a landmark cooperation agreement worth $10 billion (over Sh25 trillion) with a Qatari firm to roll out a series of large-scale strategic projects across key sectors of the economy.
The agreement, sealed at Zanzibar State House on August 29, 2025, will channel investment into the blue economy, tourism, oil storage, ports, and energy—sectors identified as central to Zanzibar’s long-term growth.
Representing Qatar was Sheikh Mansour Bin Jabor Bin Jassim Al Thani, a member of the royal family and owner of Al Mansour Holding, the company set to execute the projects.
Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi hailed the deal as a turning point for the Isles’ economy, saying it would accelerate projects that require massive capital outlays.
“Zanzibar has outlined priority projects for investment, and Qatar has agreed to support them,” he said. “Honestly, $10 billion is a huge amount of money. It will help us achieve so much, including oil storage, port construction, convention centres, and other developments.”
He noted that the agreement cuts across several strategic sectors, with the blue economy and energy among the top priorities.
Dr Mwinyi said he was proud that Zanzibar had found partners with both the commitment and financial muscle to join the government in delivering such ambitious initiatives. He expressed confidence that implementation would attract even more foreign investment and move projects forward faster than initially planned.
“This signing is just the beginning. What follows is execution, and we already have technical teams in place to move swiftly,” he added.
The deal was signed on behalf of the Zanzibar government by Khamis Suleiman Mwalim, Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office for Labour, Economy and Investment.
Minister of State in the same office, Shariff Ali Shariff, described the agreement as a milestone that would see multiple projects come to fruition.
“This is a step worth celebrating, as many critical projects will now be implemented through this cooperation,” he said.
