Ireland To Increase Aid

By Grace Matsiko THE Government of Ireland is to increase its budget support funding to Uganda by sh12b next year from this year’s about sh40b (US$20m) the country’s charge d’Affaires, Mairtin O’Fainin, has said. O’Fainin told journalists at a briefing on the visit of the Irish President, Mary McAleese, at Shanghai Hotel Kampala yesterday that the increased funding from US$20m in 2001 to US$30m next year was due to the positive developments taking place in Uganda. “Next year, Ireland aid to Uganda will go up to US$30m. The programme of partnership in development with Uganda has doubled to more than US$20m in 2001,” O’Fainin said. The embassy’s press officer, Kevin Colgan and other officials attended the meeting. O’Fainin said Irish aid to Uganda had been targeted towards health, justice, education, HIV/AIDS and poverty eradication programmes. He said the increase in aid followed the state visit by President Yoweri Museveni to Ireland last year. “President McAleese arrives in Uganda on Sunday for a one-week visit. She will hold discussions with President Museveni,” O’Fainin said. He said McAleese will be accompanied by the foreign affairs state minister with special responsibility for overseas development co-operation and human rights, Liz O’Donnell. Ends