Seoul: Tanzania's newly appointed ambassador to South Korea, Noel Emmanuel Kaganda, has emphasized the significance of the Mahenge graphite project, backed by Korea's POSCO International, in enhancing the global battery supply chain. In his first interview with a Korean media outlet since presenting his credentials to President Lee Jae Myung, Kaganda called for increased South Korean investment in Tanzania's critical minerals sector.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ambassador Kaganda highlighted Tanzania's ambition to not merely export raw materials but to establish value chains within the country through processing, manufacturing, skills development, technology transfer, and responsible mining. He encouraged Korean companies to engage as long-term partners from exploration and processing to battery manufacturing and advanced technologies.
The Mahenge graphite project, developed by Australia's Black Rock Mining with POSCO International as a strategic partner, is described by Kaganda as one of Tanzania's most significant critical minerals projects. The Mahenge deposit, being the world's second-largest known graphite resource, is set to commence commercial production in 2028, playing a vital role in the global electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain.
Kaganda underscored that the graphite produced at Mahenge is expected to integrate into South Korea's battery materials supply chain, fostering strengthened cooperation between Tanzania and South Korea in critical minerals. He further noted Tanzania's abundant reserves of nickel, lithium, rare earth elements, and other strategic minerals essential to the global energy transition.
Beyond the mining sector, Tanzania is seeking broader economic cooperation with South Korea, including strategic infrastructure projects. Korean companies have been involved in supplying passenger and freight trains for Tanzania's Standard Gauge Railway project and are currently supplying more than 400 additional railcars, praised by the ambassador for their professionalism and engineering expertise.
Kaganda urged South Korea to perceive Africa as more than a source of raw materials, advocating for long-term partnerships based on mutual benefit, technology transfer, and sustainable investment. He highlighted Tanzania's political stability and strategic location as a gateway to East and Southern African markets through its involvement in both the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community.
The ambassador extended an open invitation to Korean investors, emphasizing Tanzania's readiness for business and its potential as a gateway to East and Southern Africa. He also expressed hope for strengthened people-to-people exchanges, particularly in tourism, spotlighting Tanzania's renowned attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Zanzibar.
Before the pandemic, approximately 8,000 Korean visitors traveled to Tanzania annually, a number that is steadily recovering. Kaganda acknowledged the cultural connection fostered by legendary singer Cho Yong-pil's 1985 hit "The Leopard of Kilimanjaro," illustrating how music can build enduring friendships between nations.
Looking forward, Kaganda expressed his aspiration to elevate bilateral ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing expanded trade, investment, tourism, academic exchanges, and technological cooperation. He warmly invited Koreans to visit, invest in, study, and partner with Tanzania.