Tanzania and the European Union (EU) convened their first partnership dialogue under the Samoa Agreement, a cooperation framework between the EU and 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
The dialogue, held on December 10, 2024, at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), was co-chaired by Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Cosato D. Chumi (MP), and Ambassador Rita Laranjinha, Managing Director for Africa at the European External Action Service.
It was noted that over the past decade, the EU has invested approximately EUR 3 billion (TZS 8.3 trillion) in Tanzania. For the period 2021–2027, the EU has committed EUR 726 million (TZS 2 trillion), complemented by bilateral support from EU Member States totaling about EUR 1.2 billion for the period 2021–2024.
One of the key issues discussed during the meeting was regional security and cooperation. The joint communiqué highlighted Tanzania’s first request for support under the European Peace Facility.
“The EU commended the United Republic of Tanzania’s contributions to stability in the Great Lakes region and Northern Mozambique and took note of Tanzania’s first request for assistance under the European Peace Facility to support its peace and security initiatives,” reads the joint communiqué issued by Tanzania and the EU.
Established in 2021, the European Peace Facility is an off-budget EU funding mechanism that supports EU military missions and operations. It also enables the EU to assist partners either bilaterally or through international or regional organizations.
Several southern African countries have already benefited from the European Peace Facility. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Congo received EUR 5 million to support its navy, while Kenya received EUR 20 million for equipment such as tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, counter-drone systems, counter-IED systems, and electronic warfare systems.
The European Peace Facility has also supported Rwanda’s mission in Mozambique, providing a total of EUR 40 million. The first tranche of EUR 20 million was approved in December 2022, with an additional EUR 20 million granted in November 2024. Rwanda has deployed approximately 2,500 troops to Mozambique.
Tanzania, which participated in the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), has also deployed troops to Mozambique under a bilateral agreement. Tanzania’s President explained that the bilateral deployment was necessitated by the presence of foreign troops near Tanzania’s border and the activities of terrorist groups. The conclusion of the SADC mission in July 2024 further heightened Tanzania’s involvement in Mozambique.
In 2024, Tanzania’s defense spending reached a historic high, largely driven by the country’s commitments to border security and missions in neighboring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.
During the dialogue, Tanzania and the EU agreed to strengthen cooperation on security issues, particularly in maritime security, combating organized crime, and countering terrorism and radicalization.
The first dedicated security dialogue between Tanzania and the EU is scheduled for 2025. It is also anticipated that Johan Borgstam, the newly appointed EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes, will visit Tanzania in 2025.
