Aid must bypass corrupt regimes, says Goal

The Goal charity has called on the Government to follow Britain's lead and direct aid away from corrupt regimes in developing countries.

Yesterday, the British government announced a £100 million (€145 million) fund to fight corruption in the developing world.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said the fund would be used to improve accountability through a free media, parliamentarians and trade unions. There would be regular assessments of transparency.

Goal chief executive John O'Shea said today Ireland should follow Britain's lead and bypass corrupt governments, directing the money straight to non-governmental bodies and international aid agencies instead.

"The British government has taken a prodigious step towards ensuring that only the poor will benefit from this form of aid," he said.

"The Irish Government know that they are taking huge risks with Irish taxpayers money by channelling millions through corrupt regimes. This hideous practice must stop. There are other safer channels for our aid."

Mr O'Shea is a longtime critic of certain African governments, not least the Ugandan regime of President Museveni.

Mr O'Shea claims corruption is widespread in Uganda and accuses Mr Museveni of warmongering in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. He has lobbied Irish Aid, the development arm of the Department of Foreign Affairs, to halt all payments to the Museveni administration.

Earlier this year, the Government cut its annual allocation to Uganda by €3 million to €29 million.

Minister of State Conor Lenihan said: "This cut was not a sign that our money was being misused, but a signal of our concern about the pace of democratic reform and the transition to a multiparty system in Uganda."

On a visit to Ireland in 2003, the Ugandan president rejected Mr O'Shea's criticisms, describing them as "stupid and contemptible".

Concerns have also been raised among aid workers about corruption in Ethiopia and Tanzania.