Canada reviews Tanzania partnership after deadly post-election crackdown
Ottawa, which has provided about $3.4 billion in development assistance to Tanzania since independence, had long regarded the country as one of East Africa's more stable partners.
Canada is reviewing its long-standing partnership with Tanzania after a deadly post-election crackdown that left hundreds of civilians killed by security forces, according to The Globe and Mail.
Ottawa, which has provided about $3.4 billion in development assistance to Tanzania since independence, had long regarded the country as one of East Africa's more stable partners. That assumption has been sharply undermined by the violence that followed Tanzania's disputed October presidential election.
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In the days leading up to a planned national protest this week, Tanzanian authorities deployed police and soldiers across major cities, effectively sealing off streets and deterring public gatherings.
Dar es Salaam and other urban centres fell largely silent, with residents staying indoors amid fears of arrest. Small, isolated protests were nonetheless reported.
Tanzania remains one of Canada's largest aid recipients in Africa.
In the 2023–24 fiscal year alone, Ottawa disbursed $141 million, largely directed at health, education and economic inclusion programmes. Canadian officials said that focus would remain, but under closer scrutiny.
"In light of recent developments, Canada is undertaking a comprehensive review of its international assistance to Tanzania to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of its programming," Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Alexandre Fournier told The Globe and Mail. Aid going forward would be targeted at "the poorest and most vulnerable communities."
Tanzania has been governed by a single ruling party since independence in 1961.
In October's elections, the government barred the country's two largest opposition parties, paving the way for President Samia Suluhu Hassan to secure a reported 97 per cent victory—a result widely dismissed by critics.
Last week, Canada joined 15 Western countries and the European Union in demanding an independent investigation into the post-election violence.
A joint statement cited "credible reports" of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and the concealment of bodies, urging authorities to release detainees and address "clear shortcomings in the electoral process."
International pressure on Dar es Salaam is mounting. The Commonwealth has already placed Tanzania under formal scrutiny, a step usually reserved for members accused of "democratic backsliding".
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