Archbishop of Burundi tells UK: "Don't make us an aid orphan"

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Posted On : July 5, 2011 8:33 PM | Posted By : Admin ACO

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Archbishop of Burundi tells UK: "Don't make us an aid orphan"

> By Laura Payne, Anglican Alliance
The Archbishop of Burundi today (Tuesday) gave a
passionate appeal to the UK government to restore
its bilateral funding to Burundi ? one of the
poorest and most fragile countries in the world.
The call came when he gave evidence at the
International Development Select Committee?s
enquiry into the UK government?s decision to end
its bilateral aid programme for Burundi and shut the DfID office in Bujumbu ra.
He backed his call for funding with a warning
that the security in Bujumbura was difficult and
the country risked slipping into conflict only
two years after the final peace agreement was
signed with the last remaining rebel movement.
The Most Reverend Bernard Ntahoturi travelled to
the UK with the Anglican Alliance which brings
together the development, relief and advocacy
work of the Anglican family of churches and agencies.
When the UK closes its development office in
Bujumbura next year, Burundi will be the only
country in the Great Lakes and East Africa not
receiving UK bilateral aid. The UK hopes Burundi
will trade its way out of poverty through
?TradeMark East Africa?, an initiative to
increase commerce between the countries of the
region, part-funded by the British. The
Archbishop applauded the programme but explained
that trade, although vital, is no silver bullet.
Giving evidence after the Archbishop Stephen
O?Brien MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State
for the Department for International Development,
justified the government?s decision to withdraw
aid. He said that the UK £12 million programme
was too small to make impact and would be taken
over by other donors. He said that there had been
no objections made during the DfID consultations
on the proposals and denied that the populated of
Burundi would suffer as a result of the UK government?s decision.
The Church of Burundi and the Anglican Alliance
are considering the next steps in their joint
efforts to get the UK government to reengage with
bilateral support for Burundi.