This archive report was first published on 4 May 2021.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu arrived in Kenya on May 4, 2021, for a two-day state visit to Nairobi, marking her first official visit since taking office in March.
President Suluhu, who was seen wearing a white mask, a tradition she maintains when on foreign trips, immediately headed to State House Nairobi for a meeting with her host President Uhuru Kenyatta.
This is the first time a Tanzanian President has made a state visit to Kenya since October 2016.
During her visit, President Suluhu will receive a 21-gun salute, a privilege and tradition given to visiting heads of state.
Her trip comes at a time when both countries are seeking to renew ties and resolve their perennial tiffs on cross-border trade, including non-tarrif barriers.
Cooperation around Covid-19 management is also an immediate concern, particularly given Tanzania's lack of data on new infections since May last year.
President Suluhu had announced the formation of a committee to study the key issues around the pandemic, but the committee's identity and terms of reference remain unclear.
