The European Union (EU) will disburse €500 million in humanitarian aid to various African nations this year, following its decision to suspend governance-related funding previously earmarked for Zimbabwe. The move comes in response to Zimbabwe’s recent enactment of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill, which has drawn criticism for curbing the operations of civil society groups.
Passed in April, the legislation grants the Zimbabwean government broad powers to monitor and regulate non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civic groups. Critics warn that the law could significantly hinder advocacy for human rights and social justice.
Ahead of the ongoing EU-African Union (AU) Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, a European Commission spokesperson told that the EU is increasing its support to vulnerable populations across Africa, with initial funding amounting to €500 million. The support package, they noted, may expand depending on evolving needs throughout the year.
A significant share of the aid will target crisis-hit regions, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan, where ongoing conflicts have displaced millions. In the DRC, armed groups such as M23 continue to clash with government forces in the mineral-rich east, while Sudan remains embroiled in a violent civil war between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The humanitarian fallout has included mass displacement, water shortages, and widespread power outages.
Additional support will be directed to regions including West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, North-West Nigeria, Central Africa, the Great Lakes region, and the Greater Horn of Africa. For Sudan alone, €160 million has been allocated for humanitarian assistance in 2025, with further aid designated for neighbouring countries like Chad, where many Sudanese refugees have fled.
The EU stressed that all humanitarian funding will be distributed through trusted partners such as United Nations agencies, international organisations like the International Committee of the Red Cross, and approved NGOs.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, faces deepening economic challenges. In addition to losing EU support, the country has been impacted by a previous decision by former US President Donald Trump to cut billions in aid via the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), affecting key health sector programmes.
Zimbabwe’s access to broader EU funding, particularly under the €150 billion Global Gateway initiative aimed at bolstering energy and economic development in Africa, has been hindered by its mounting debt—estimated at US\$21 billion—and a lack of progress on critical reforms. The EU maintains that political sanctions are not the barrier to funding, but rather Zimbabwe’s arrears and perceived resistance to change.
Harare continues to attribute its economic isolation to long-standing Western sanctions, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration claims have cost the country US\$100 billion in lost economic opportunities.