Denmark Cuts Aid To Uganda

By John Eremuand AgenciesDenmark has decided to end aid to Zimbabwe, Malawi and Eritrea, and to reduce assistance to Uganda, because it “does not want to maintain dictators in power,” the foreign ministry said on Thursday. The decision was included in the draft budget for 2002 presented by finance minister Thor Pedersen on Tuesday, which slashed the aid Denmark will pay to developing countries by 201 million euros (173 million dollars).“We have to use our money in an appropriate and efficient manner, and that holds true in the domain of international cooperation, too,” Pedersen told the public television channel DR1 on Tuesday night. “We have always said that we do not want to support countries which are ruled by dictators,” he added. Pedersen singled out President Robert Mugabe’s government in Zimbabwe for criticism. “The reason we are totally stopping aid to Zimbabwe at the moment is because President Robert Mugabe practises state terrorism. I think it would be shameful for Denmark to sustain a cooperation partnership with such a nation,” the minister said. “Denmark’s international cooperation partners must respect human rights, fight corruption and follow sound business practices,” Pedersen said, adding that any countries that slipped from those principles risked “no longer benefiting from our aid.” The Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Flemming Pedersen, said the reduction will see Danish aid to Uganda slashed by 30 million kroners (sh6b). It will now be 250 million kroners (sh51b) from last year’s 280 million (sh57b).“Denmark holds the view that the Government of Uganda is ignoring the plunder of DR Congo resources by its nationals,” Flemming said.He said the cut will not affect the on-going commitments but that the new programmes will be affected particularly the road sector. Uganda has a 10-year road sector development programme and the Danish government in 1998 offered US $62m (sh113b) to finance the programme for five years ending this year.Finance Minister Gerald Sendaula and his counterpart for Works, Transport and Communications, John Nasasira and their top ministry officials were yesterday locked in a budget meeting over the road sector programme.State Minister for Finance, Mr. Mwesigwa Rukutana, described the reduction as unfortunate. He defended the Movement Government as very democratic.Ends