LONDON: Britain said yesterday that it would withhold £21m ($33.7m) in aid to Rwanda following concerns over its support of rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The announcement by International Development Secretary Justine Greening follows the widely-criticised decision by her predecessor Andrew Mitchell to restore a tranche of aid in September following its suspension in July.
Britain said it would give a further £18m to provide 100,000 people in DR Congo with food, water, household items and emergency education, as the advance of M23 rebels sparks fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.
“The government has already set out its concerns over credible and compelling reports of Rwandan involvement with M23 in DRC,” Greening said.
“This evidence constitutes a breach of the partnership principles set out in the memorandum of understanding, and as a result I have decided not to release the next payment of budget support to Rwanda.”
Under these principles, Britain will only provide aid to governments who show strong action on reducing poverty, tackling corruption, improving accountability and meeting international obligations to support peace and respect human rights.
AFP
