Tanzanian president Samia woos Russia as Europe blocks funding

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The European Parliament has voted to block disbursement of €150 million ($174 million) to Tanzania over what it considers unaddressed issues around the controversial October 29, 2025 election and its bloody aftermath.

The House adopted a motion tabled jointly by David McAllister, chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Barry Andrews, chair of the Committee on Development, sealing the fate of that development funding package.

The decision comes as President Samia Suluhu Hassan embarked on a three-day State visit to Moscow, where she is expected to strengthen bilateral ties.

This week’s decision is the second in seven months that the EU legislators have voted to block the same funds, the first time being November 2025. “Tanzania has seen serious democratic backsliding, political repression and violations of fundamental rights,” Mr McAllister said. “Yet, the revised plan contains no meaningful conditionality and no clear consequences if the situation continues to deteriorate.”

In May, Tanzania postponed a planned official visit by MEPs from the Human Rights subcommittee, provoking a furious response from Mounir Satouri, a leading Green MEP.“We regret the lack of willingness by the Tanzanian authorities to engage in good-faith dialogue, especially against the backdrop of a deteriorating human rights situation and crackdowns on the democratic opposition,” Satouri said.

Among the developments cited since the November 2025 objection, the resolution references the commission of inquiry into the violence surrounding the October 29, 2025 elections, which reported that at least 518 people had died but did not identify those responsible.

The EU executive has proposed taking the management of the funds out of the direct control of the government. “The commission and the European External Action Service have failed to effectively demonstrate that they have addressed the real concerns,” the team stated.

While the committees’ vote is a major escalation that increases international pressure, Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation maintains that this is an internal EU legislative matter.

For the objection to formally halt the funding, it must be ratified by the full Parliament.

In a press release issued on June 3, 2026, Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the vote was simply part of the EU’s internal procedures and did not reflect its final stance on relations with Tanzania.“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation has taken note of the vote conducted by the European parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, jointly with the Committee on Development concerning proposals related to the 2025 Development Cooperation programme between Tanzania and the EU. The ministry wishes to reassure the public that relations between Tanzania and the EU remain strong and continue to flourish across a broad range of areas of mutual interest,” it said.“Tanzania and the EU maintain well-established mechanisms for consultations and dialogue through which all matters relating to their partnership are discussed and addressed in a constructive and mutually respectful manner.”

Samia seeks to strengthen partnerships with emerging global powers under her evolving foreign policy strategy at a time of squeeze by EU and US.

During the meeting, Putin said bilateral trade with Tanzania had grown by up to 25 percent over the past year.

Both leaders identified opportunities for cooperation in energy, transportation, healthcare, tourism, education, and geological exploration.