13th – 14th
February 2024
48 years since the last State Visit between the two countries took place the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was invited to Norway by His Majesty King Harald V. The visit will take place 60 years after diplomatic relations were established after the creation of the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964 with the merger of the states Tanganyika and Zanzibar. President Hassan has been in office since March 2021 when she as the country’s Vice-President had to step in upon the death of President Magufuli. Born 1960 in Makunduchi, a city in what was then still the Sultanate of Zanzibar, she is the second Zanzibari to hold the office of President of Tanzania though being the only one so far actually born there.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Other Information
- Jewels
- Honours and Orders
- Guests
Day 1
Arrival and Welcoming Ceremony
The President arrived to a snow laden Oslo by air. After having touched down at Gardermoen International Airport President Hassan was welcomed by a small committee. A traditional welcoming ceremony had been planned for the President on the square in front of the Royal Palace. However, the heavy snowfall over Oslo just prior to the start of the visit made such arrangements difficult. So for the first time in history the welcoming ceremony took place inside the Palace. This must have been a relief to many, probably most of all the President herself as she would obviously be used to much warmer weather than the three degrees Celsius below zero measure in the Norwegian capital on this day. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince greeted the President at the entrance of the Palace and guided her up the main staircase up to the noble floor. Here the President was warmly welcomed by His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen.
Both the Crown Prince and the King were dressed in their uniforms of Generals in the Norwegian Army. Furthermore they coincided in both wearing the Sash and Breast Star of the Order of St Olav and the Neck-tie and the Breast Star of the Order of Merit.
After having exchanged a few pleasantries, the Royal Couple and their guest then entered the Grand Ball Room where the new welcoming ceremony took place. Due to the change of location the traditional inspection of the Guard of Honour was omitted, but after the two countries’ National Anthems had been played the President was presented to representatives from the official Norway. First in the greeting line was the 1st Deputy President of the Norwegian Parliament (the Storting). Representing the Norwegian Government was the Minister for International Development Ms. Anne Beathe Tvinnereim. Present were also members of Law and Order with the Director of Police Marie Benedicte Bjørnland and the Chief of Police in Oslo Ida Melbo Øystese. Civilian authorities present were the County Governor of Oslo and Viken, Mrs Valgerd Svarstad Haugland and the Mayor of Oslo Ms. Anne Lindboe. The Norwegian Defence forces were represented by a few high ranking officers headed by the Chief of Defence General Eirik Kristoffersen.
For the official photographs which were taken in the Bird Room the Royal party and the President were joined by the King’s elder sister Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner. An exchange of gifts also took place in the White Room. The President received among other gifts a framed signed photograph of Their Majesties and a coffee table book on Norway. In one of the photographs the President is seen showing a flat box to the Queen. Sadly the lid of the box is blocking the view of the box’s content, but it could be a gift of a piece of jewellery. Jewellery was also the gift received by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. His Royal Highness received a set of cufflinks and a tiepin while his wife was given a matching set of necklace and bracelet. No orders were exchanged since the Republic of Tanzania normally does not confer Orders during State Visits.
Afternoon Engagements
The first post on the programme after the reception at the Royal Palace was the wreath laying ceremony at the National Monument at Akershus Castle. Wrapped up warm in a camel coloured coat President Hassan was joined by Their Majesties and the Crown Prince as they drove out to the Castle. A wreath of white flowers and greenery decorated with ribbons in the colours of the Tanzanian flag was placed on the monument by the President to commemorate the Norwegians who fell during World War II.
From here the Tanzanian Head of State drove to the Storting – the Norwegian Parliament – where she was received by the 1st Deputy President. She had a short meeting with him and she also put her signature in the book of honoured guests.
Attendance at a Norwegian-Tanzanian Conference was up next. With Tanzania being one of the fastest growing economies on the African continent President encouraged in her address Norwegian companies and investors to do business in the Tanzanian market. About 150 attendees from a wide range of industries listened to the President as she put forward her country as an excellent opportunity for doing good business and she highlighted especially the energy sector. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also attended as did the Norwegian Prime Minister and the Norwegian Minister for Trade and Industry who also made a speech.
State Banquet
In the evening the King and Queen hosted a glittering State Banquet at the Royal Palace in honour of their guest.
The Royal procession into the Grand Dining Room through the Ball Room was headed by the King who escorted President Hassan. They were followed by the Queen who had the Crown Prince as her partner and making up the rear of the procession were the Crown Princess and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, the latter being escorted by one of the King’s aide-de-camp.
His Majesty wore the dress uniform of a General in the Norwegian Army with the Sash and Breast Star of the Order of St Olav and the Neck-tie and Breast Star of the Order of Merit. The Crown Prince also donned the dress uniform of a General in the Army and with the same Orders as his father.
The Queen looked very elegant in a dress she premiered many years ago, back in 1991 when the Royal Couple paid their first ever State Visit abroad as monarchs. It was then worn at the Gala Performance at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. On the State Visit for the President of Tanzania Her Majesty had chosen Pearl jewellery. To see a more detailed list of the jewels, go to the “Jewels” page by pressing here.
Also the Crown Princess had decided to wear a before worn gown. It shimmered with silver motifs and she had chosen Amethyst jewels. Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner looked lovely in a golden gown with pieces from her Nassau-Weilburg Gold set.
The floral decoration was kept in purple hues by adding a great selection of anemones in that colour scheme in addition to a lot of greenery. Atypically the menu did not contain any meat dishes. Instead it was mainly delicacies from the sea that made up the four course meal:
Menu:
Marmorert laks
Kamskjelltartar
Kveite med potetfondant, savoykål, kongeøsterssopp og nøttesmør
Solbær og melkesjokolade
Day 2
The second, and last, day began with President Hassan attending the conference Oslo Energy Forum 2024. She was accompanied by the Crown Prince. In the audience were also the Norwegian Prime Minister and Mr. John Kerry, a previous Vice-President of the USA and who is now USA’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. The President gave a speech. Later on she participated in a roundtable discussion on global energy transition together with Prime Minister Støre and Mr. Kerry.
Before lunch the President met with the Norwegian Prime Minister at the Prime Minister’s residence. Afterwards an official lunch was hosted by the Prime Minister. Their Majesties, Their Royal Highnesses and Her Highness Princess Astrid all attended this luncheon. Seated around the dining room at several round tables President Hassan had the Prime Minister to her left and to her right sat the King. The Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs had been placed to the right of His Majesty followed by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tanzania’s Ambassador to Norway. To the left of the Prime Minister sat Her Majesty. The Queen looked lovely in a royal blue day dress accessorized with a light shawl over her shoulders in several tones of blue.
In the afternoon the President attended a seminar on climate and food safety at the Natural History Museum. Again the President was accompanied by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
As the State Visit only lasted for two (effectively 1,5) days, it concluded with the seminar. There was no evening reception hosted by the visitors.
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