Finland says won’t withhold its funds over homophobia

Theresa Zitting

What you need to know:

  • Media reports quoted Theresa Zitting (pictured), of the Foreign Affairs ministry’s Africa desk, as saying that the Nordic country was not going to cut aid that goes to help millions of poor people due to homophobic pronouncements made by an individual “populist” politician who seems to have neither the support of the government nor of the general population.

Dar es Salaam. Finland, a European Union member, will not withhold aid to Tanzania over recent homophobic comments by some politicians, Finish media reported yesterday.

Media reports quoted Theresa Zitting (pictured), of the Foreign Affairs ministry’s Africa desk, as saying that the Nordic country was not going to cut aid that goes to help millions of poor people due to homophobic pronouncements made by an individual “populist” politician who seems to have neither the support of the government nor of the general population.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda launched a campaign last month to crackdown on homosexuals who use the social media to promote their activities. The government distanced itself from Mr Makonda’s campaign, although Home Affairs minister Kangi Lugola insisted that homosexuality remains a crime in Tanzania.

Despite the government’s denouncement of Mr Makonda’s campaign, some foreign powers piled pressure on Tanzania. The EU recalled its ambassador and followed that up with a statement that it was reviewing its engagement with the country. Denmark, a Nordic country, acted swiftly by becoming the first EU member to suspend aid (about $10 million) to Tanzania.

But Finland said yesterday it would not stop sending aid money to the country totalling 52 million euros between 2016 and 2019.

“Thankfully, Makonda has not gained the support of large sectors of the population. Of course, we hope that it will remain his own personal project that will wither away,” Zitting was quoted as saying.

“But we don’t feel that we want to touch development spending right now,” she noted, insisting that Finland was equally concerned about human rights in the country.

Efforts to get a comment from Tanzanian government officials were futile, but Finland’s decision could come as a huge relief to the Tanzanian government, which is already under pressure over the human rights situation in the country.

More so, Finland’s decision could also signal divisions within the EU as far as cutting aid to Tanzania is concerned.

Zitting said that Finland’s goal is to depend and broaden co-operation, to try and improve the human rights situation, adding that some 25 million people in Tanzania -- 40 per cent of the population -- live in poverty and any cuts in aid spending would hurt them.

Zitting said that Finnish aid spending is focused on increasing employment in the forest products sector, governmental reform, tax collection and women’s participation in politics.