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Ethiopia denied $1b in aid
08/09/2000 16:26 - (SA)
Addis Ababa - International donors have refused to release more than $1 billion in aid that was suspended after the border war with Eritrea
broke out two years ago, even though the fighting ended in June, a
senior official said in an editorial published on Friday.
Gizatchew Bizunch, who works in the Ministry of Economic
Development and External Relations, said bilateral and
international financial institutions had frozen or suspended
development aid despite earlier commitments to fund food security,
health, education and road projects.
In a signed article in the state-owned Herald newspaper, Gizatchew
said Ethiopia was granted an average of $700 million in grants
and concessionary loans from foreign governments every year from
1991 to 1998, but this had declined by about 30 per cent after the
conflict.
He said 12 bilateral donors had terminated or suspended $325
million in the last two years. Gizatchew could not be reached on
Friday to give the names of the 12 donors or to comment.
He said the European Union had withheld $323 million, of which
$117 million was for balance of payments, which was agreed to
long before the conflict. He said international financial
institutions had also delayed more than $400 million in new
loans and grants.
Gizatchew said only the UN agencies, which are not governed by
political considerations, had continued funding development
projects after the conflict, "but Ethiopia's other development
partners have still opted a wait and see attitude even after the
signing of the cessation of hostilities agreement" by Ethiopia and
Eritrea on 18 June.
Ethiopia and Eritrea, which gained its independence in 1993 from
Ethiopia, fought over their 1 000 kilometres border
from 1998-2000. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA
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