Tanzania has lost the hosting rights for the 50th International Apicultural Congress (Apimondia 2027), a global event that was expected to transform the country’s apiculture industry and inject millions into its economy. The congress, originally scheduled for September 20–25, 2027 in Arusha, will now be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following an inspection by Apimondia’s Executive Council that deemed Tanzania’s facilities unfit to accommodate the projected 7,000 delegates.
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Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, brings together scientists, honey producers, traders, and policymakers from around the world every two years to advance scientific and sustainable practices in beekeeping. Tanzania had triumphantly secured hosting rights at the 2023 congress in Chile, beating the UAE in the final bid, a symbolic victory that was set to mark Africa’s return to the global apiculture stage after nearly three decades since South Africa hosted in 2001.
The reversal has left a deep sense of disappointment across Africa’s beekeeping community. Apimondia President Dr. Jeff Pettis confirmed that while the 2023 Letter of Agreement with Tanzania had been binding, it required the host country to demonstrate readiness by mid-2025. “After thorough evaluation, it was concluded that Tanzania could not meet the objectives, and the 2027 congress will be hosted by the UAE Beekeepers’ Foundation, the runner-up in the 2023 election,” he said.
Apimondia’s Africa Regional Committee President, David Mukomana, expressed regret at the outcome, calling it a lost moment for the continent. “It was a rare chance for Africa to host a major global event of this scale,” he said. “Observers are asking how such a landmark congress could shift from one of the world’s most biodiverse forest regions in East Africa to the arid deserts of the UAE.”
The disappointment is especially sharp in Arusha, a city that had already begun preparing to welcome thousands of global delegates. In anticipation of the congress, local authorities, led by former mayor Maximilian Iraghe and the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS), had mobilized a youth-driven beekeeping initiative that established over two million beehives across northern Tanzania, engaging nearly 120,000 young people. These hives were to serve as training and demonstration hubs for visiting experts, with the congress poised to showcase Tanzania’s growing apiculture capacity and youth entrepreneurship model.
The broader ambition behind hosting Apimondia 2027 went far beyond prestige. Tanzania had planned to use the event as a platform to position itself as Africa’s centre for sustainable beekeeping and to launch a “youth-in-apiculture” agenda that could tie into climate resilience and green enterprise. Beekeeping, which supports livelihoods for thousands of smallholder farmers, has become an integral part of the country’s forest conservation and community development strategies.
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According to official data, Tanzania is home to about 9.2 million bee colonies, making it one of Africa’s most bee-rich ecosystems and the second-largest honey producer on the continent after Ethiopia. The country produces around 35,000 tonnes of honey each year, but experts estimate it could reach as high as 135,000 tonnes if production were fully optimized. TFS manages 20 protected bee reserves covering 39,444 hectares, providing vital habitat for wild pollinators and supporting biodiversity critical to forestry and agriculture alike.
The economic potential is substantial. Global demand for organic honey and beeswax continues to rise, driven by the shift toward natural food and cosmetic products. Africa, which accounts for roughly 15% of the world’s honey production, remains an underexploited frontier for sustainable apiculture. Tanzania’s honey exports, though small compared to its potential, are increasingly gaining recognition in regional markets such as Kenya and the Gulf States. A successful hosting of Apimondia would have catalyzed international investment, linked Tanzanian producers with premium buyers, and placed East Africa on the global map for eco-based trade and biodiversity-linked economies.
Local stakeholders view the relocation as a wake-up call on infrastructure preparedness and event management. “Hosting Apimondia 2027 would have solidified Tanzania’s place in the global beekeeping community and showcased our potential as an investment destination,” said Arusha-based beekeeper and industry advocate Emmanuel Mgimwa. “The government must take these lessons seriously and ensure future bids are matched by timely, tangible readiness.”
Still, experts argue that Tanzania’s apiculture sector remains an untapped economic frontier, one aligned with climate resilience, rural employment, and environmental sustainability. Beekeeping offers a rare intersection where green livelihoods meet biodiversity protection: each hive not only produces honey but also enhances crop pollination and forest regeneration, creating a natural climate buffer. Across East Africa, similar initiatives are emerging; in Kenya’s Baringo and Kitui counties, community beekeeping cooperatives are restoring degraded landscapes while improving household incomes.
For Tanzania, the loss of Apimondia 2027 is more than a missed event, it is a reminder that global competitiveness in sustainability sectors now hinges on infrastructure, policy coordination, and long-term planning. Yet the foundations remain strong. With its vast forest cover, rich flora, and growing youth engagement, Tanzania retains one of the most promising apiculture sectors on the continent. The challenge will be to translate that biological wealth into structured economic opportunity and to ensure that Africa’s next bid for global hosting rights reflects the readiness and ambition the continent’s beekeepers have long demonstrated in the field.
