ugnet_: Ireland cuts aid to Uganda govt

[Mulindwa Edward]

Netters   This is the kind of spinning that these reports make, and this is how these politicians make me wonder how much they can spin these reports. Let us follow this posting for a minute. Godfrey this morning posted this piece in essence it stated that Ireland has cut direct aid to Uganda government, and the operative word being direct aid. We as well knew by the same posting that this aid is being switched because of the increased spending in Defence that Ireland was not happy about. Those two facts we knew as by Godfrey's posting. Now this morning Ireland's ambassador is setting the records straight as by reports from Nairobi. I want you to read his statement and tell me the difference between what he is stating and what Godfrey posted. Em ===================== UGANDA: Ireland denies aid cut NAIROBI, 25 July (IRIN) - The Irish government has denied media reports stating that it cut humanitarian aid to Uganda this month, due to concerns about defence spending. "There have been no aid cuts," the Irish ambassador to Uganda, Mairt�n � Fain�n, told IRIN. He said his government had redirected ?12.7 million worth of "budget support" to a Poverty Action Fund (PAF) which was "more secure and more focused". The PAF money would be firmly tied to health, education, water and rural roads development. However, he acknowledged that the switch was due to concerns about Uganda's increased defence expenditure in 2002, which came "at the expense of other areas of the budget". The Ugandan government increased its spending last year from 2.1 percent of GDP, to about 2.3 percent, to finance the ongoing war against the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group in the north of the country. Describing the move as "a breach of trust", � Fain�n said the Ugandan government had previously agreed on a defence expenditure seal of 2.1 percent with its international donors. Ireland was redirecting its funding "to ensure that it [the funding] couldn't be interpreted as drifting into other areas," he said. Ireland donates about US $35 million per year to Uganda, most of which is used for project support, and is therefore directly controlled by the Irish government.               The Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"             Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" ----- Original Message ----- From: Elum aniap Godfrey Ayoo To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: Edward Mulindwa ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 2:24 AM Subject: [Ugandacom] Ireland cuts aid to Uganda govt Ireland cuts aid to Uganda govt By Richard M. Kavuma July 25, 2003 Ireland has cut direct aid to the Uganda government. The Irish are angry over defence spending. The Irish Ambassador, Mr Martin O'Fainin, yesterday said that $11.2 million would be transferred to the Poverty Action Fund (PAF). "We are switching that funding from the general budgetary support because the increase in defence spending mid-year was done in a manner we were uncomfortable with," Mr O'Fainin said on phone. The ambassador said that the decision was reached "some time ago". The government has reportedly assured the Irish that under PAF the money would not be tampered with "whatever happens during the financial year". The Irish Times newspaper had earlier reported that the aid has been cut because of corruption and Uganda's involvement in the DR Congo's civil war. Ireland's Minister of State for Overseas Co-operation, Mr Tom Kitt, reportedly took the decision after his visit to Uganda last month. The government last year slashed sector budget allocations by 23 percent and transferred the money to the Defence ministry. According to O'Fainin, however, the decision had nothing to do with corruption or the DR Congo. He said that Ireland's total aid to Uganda is $43 million for 2003/2004. Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.