When a prominent Tanzanian politician announced plans for a surveillance squad to hunt down and arrest homosexuals last week, it was just the latest sign of an intensifying repression that has terrified many Tanzanians – and cast doubt on Canada’s long-standing support for the country.

For decades, Tanzania has been a darling of Canada’s foreign policy. The East African country, known for its safari tourism and mineral wealth, has become one of the leading recipients of Canadian aid – including an estimated $2.3-billion in development funding since the 1960s – along with military training, peacekeeping assistance and billions of dollars in mining investment.

But if the Canadian government’s largesse was partly intended to build support for human rights and democratic values, the strategy seems to have failed.

The escalating repression is provoking protests around the world. The European Union recalled its ambassador from Tanzania this week, expressing concern about the “deterioration” of human rights and the rule of law. The World Bank announced on Wednesday that it is suspending all visiting missions to the country “with immediate effect.” It said it is worried about the “safety and security of all employees” because of the threats of “harassment and discrimination” against the gay community.

The United States has also denounced the human-rights abuses. “We are troubled by the continued arrests and harassment of marginalized persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and others who seek to exercise their rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. Read more via Globe and Mail