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Deaglán de Breadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
The Irish Times
14th May, 2005
The Government is considering a €2 million cut in Ireland's
annual direct aid to the Uganda government, from €32 million
to €30 million, to demonstrate the need for political reform
in that country, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot
Ahern.
"I am very concerned with the ongoing situation in Uganda
and I believe that by reducing our direct funding to the administration,
in partnership with other countries, it will send a very clear message
about political reform," the Minister told The Irish Times.
Responding to the news, Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni said
his country could do without foreign aid if the Uganda Revenue Authority
improved its methods of collection. Donor countries provide more
than 50 per cent of Uganda's budget.
The proposed cut was welcomed by chief executive of the development
agency GOAL, John O'Shea, a long-time and vociferous critic of the
Uganda government. "I'm absolutely delighted," he told
The Irish Times. But he added: "Why haven't we got the courage
to end all bilateral aid to Uganda?"
Mr O'Shea said all direct government-to-government aid should be
cut off because corruption was "rampant", Uganda's government
was involved in "the rape and plunder of the Congo where five
million people have died", and President Museveni had been
saying for some time that he was only interested in trade, not aid.
Responding to the point that the Ugandan government had greatly
reduced the incidence of HIV/Aids among its population and significantly
increased the level of basic educational provision, he rejected
these statistics as "an out-and-out fabrication", adding
that the real figures were substantially lower.
It is understood from sources in the Department of Foreign Affairs
that an alternative channel is being sought, preferably in the Uganda
voluntary sector, for the funding that is likely to be withheld
from the Museveni administration. A further cut in aid is expected
if the Uganda government fails to respond in the appropriate manner.
Donor countries are alarmed at the nature of the process currently
under way to change the constitution so that President Museveni
can serve a third six-year term.
While accepting that constitutional change is a matter for the
Ugandans themselves, donor countries are pressing for the process
to be transparent, fair and devoid of coercion.
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