Why aid a corrupt regime in Uganda?

THE revelation that the UK has made a further £20m cut in aid to Uganda for its 2006-07 budget highlights the need for the Irish Government to revise its aid policy to this corrupt country.

The British government made the cut because of concerns about governance, public administration expenditure and budget plans.

The recent investigation into Uganda’s mismanagement of aid money from the Global Fund on Aids, TB and Malaria unearthed evidence of ‘serious mismanagement’ of funds.

In the last three years, the Irish Government has cut €12m in aid to Uganda. Yet it will channel €32.5m to Uganda this year alone. What more evidence does the Department of Foreign Affairs need before it ceases to aid this notoriously corrupt regime?

Government inaction on this issue constitutes a flagrant abuse of taxpayers’ money.

John O’Shea

GOAL

PO Box 19

Dun Laoghaire

Co Dublin.