Tanzania
-- Foreign
Relations
Since
independence,
Tanzania
has sought
to follow
a policy
of non-alignment.
During his
administration
the first
president,
Nyerere
(1961-85),
charted
a course
between
the Eastern
and Western
blocs. Nevertheless,
he supported
African
majority
rule in
Zimbabwe,
Mozambique,
Angola,
Namibia,
and South
Africa.
Since the
early 1960s,
Tanzania
has been
the headquarters
for many
southern
African
liberation
movements.
Yet Nyerere
has always
emphasized
that human
rights and
a nonracial
policy were
requisites
for any
viable political
solution
for southern
Africa.
Within
East Africa
itself,
the overthrow
of President
Milton Obote
of Uganda
in January
1971 created
difficult
diplomatic
problems
for Tanzania.
Nyerere
refused
to recognize
the military
regime of
Idi Amin,
and he gave
Obote asylum
in Tanzania.
This led
to tension
between
the two
countries.
In late
1972 a force
of pro-Obote
exiles invaded
Uganda from
Tanzania.
They were
defeated,
and Amin
launched
air strikes
on Tanzanian
towns south
of the border
and again
in late
1978. Tanzania
repelled
the strikes
and invaded
Uganda,
Amin to
flee. As
a result,
Amin's regime
collapsed,
but this
victory
proved costly
since Tanzanian
soldiers
remained
in Uganda
for some
three years
following
Amin's downfall.Tanzania
continues
to play
a leading
role in
African
affairs.
President
Nyerere
gained the
reputation
as an eloquent
and respected
statesman
not only
in Africa
but in the
Third World
as a whole.
Nevertheless,
several
factors
have combined
to reduce
Tanzania's
influence
and standing
in African
affairs.
These include
the collapse
of the Soviet
Union and
the democratization
of South
Africa.
