Cameron forced to defend £16m aid to 'role model' Rwanda awarded just hours after UN attacked dictator's regime

David Cameron yesterday defended sending millions in aid money to a controversial African dictator - just hours after the United Nations accused his regime of masterminding a bloody rebellion led by a wanted war criminal.
The Prime Minister said the Government was right to restore £16 million of aid to Rwanda - hailing the regime led by President Paul Kagame as a ‘role model for development’.
The decision, made by beleaguered Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell on his final day as international development secretary last month, has angered the Foreign Office and caused dismay among other Western donors and human rights activists.

Defence: Prime Minister David Cameron (left, yesterday) said the Government was right to restore £16million of aid to Rwanda - hailing the regime led by President Paul Kagame (right) as a 'role model for development'

But Mr Cameron, who has built up a close personal relationship with Kagame, insisted that Rwanda remained a ‘success story’, despite mounting alarm at the regime’s dire human rights record.
Speaking in the Commons he said: ‘I am clear, Rwanda has been, and continues to be, a success story of a country that has gone from genocide and disaster to being a role model for development and lifting people out of poverty in Africa.
‘I am proud of the fact that the last Government, and this Government, have continued to invest in that success.’
Mr Cameron said he had been ‘frank and firm’ with Kagame about alleged human rights abuses, but said it was ‘right’ to continue pouring aid into his regime.

 

His comments came as a devastating UN report accused Rwanada of effectively masterminding a murderous rebellion in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which has forced half a million people from their homes.
Labour called for the immediate suspension of aid to the Rwandan government, saying the Prime Minister’s comments displayed a ‘worrying level of ignorance’ about the situation in east Africa.
The leaked report said the uprising by the so-called M23 rebels was receiving ‘direct military orders’ from Rwanda’s army chief and Kagame’s defence minister.
The rebellion is led on the ground by Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes.
Rebels are accused of recruiting child soldiers, waging a campaign of terror against civilians and government forces and attacking UN peacekeepers sent to the region.

Unhappy: Shadow international development secretary Ivan Lewis said the UN allegations of 'Rwanda's continued support for militia activity in Eastern DRC raise further questions' about Andrew Mitchell's decision

‘Rwandan officials exercise overall command and strategic planning for M23,’ the UN report said.
‘Rwanda continues to violate the arms embargo through direct military support to M23 rebels, facilitation of recruitment, encouragement and facilitation of Congolese army desertions as well as the provision of arms and ammunition, intelligence, and political advice.’

Controversial: The decision to restore aid was made by Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell on his final day as international development secretary last month

Kagame has also been accused of running an increasingly authoritarian regime within Rwanda. Human rights organisations allege that political opponents and journalists have been tortured, murdered and imprisoned as Kagame seeks to tighten his grip.
The report is acutely embarrassing for Tory high command which has established close personal links with the Kagame regime.
Mr Cameron used an ongoing voluntary project in Rwanda to help ‘detoxify’ the party’s image in the run-up to the election, and Kagame was even invited by Mr Cameron to address the party’s annual conference in 2007.
The new report will pile pressure on ministers to explain Mr Mitchell’s decision to release £16 million in aid to Rwanda, half of which will go directly into the Kagame regime’s coffers.
Other donors, such as the United States and the Netherlands, have refused to lift aid bans imposed in the summer after an interim UN report first revealed evidence of Rwanda’s involvement in the bloodshed in the DRC.
Mr Mitchell is reported to have overruled the advice of both the Foreign Office and his own officials to restore the aid programme.
His successor Justine Greening has also indicated she is unhappy with the decision and will freeze the next tranche of aid to Rwanda due in December.
Foreign Office minister Mark Simmonds this week said the UK remained ‘very concerned by continuing reports of Rwandan support for the M23 rebels’.

New role: Mr Mitchell's successor Justine Greening has also indicated she is unhappy with the decision and will freeze the next tranche of aid to Rwanda due in December

Labour last night called for the immediate suspension of aid to the Rwandan government.
Shadow international development secretary Ivan Lewis said: ‘The latest UN allegations of Rwanda’s continued support for militia activity in Eastern DRC raise further questions about Andrew Mitchell’s seemingly arbitrary decision to reinstate aid to Rwanda on his last day in office.

'I am clear, Rwanda has been, and continues to be, a success story of a country that has gone from genocide and disaster to being a role model for development and lifting people out of poverty in Africa'

Prime Minister David Cameron

‘David Cameron’s answer at Prime Minister’s Questions demonstrates a worrying level of ignorance about these serious allegations.
‘The EU, US, Netherlands and other donors have maintained their suspension of aid leaving the UK isolated and responsible for undermining a coherent international position.’
Foreign aid accounts for more than 40 per cent of the Rwandan government’s income, and Britain is the country’s single biggest donor, giving £75 million this year.
The Rwandan government yesterday strongly denied the allegations in the UN report. A senior Rwandan diplomat accused the UN of pursuing a ‘political agenda’.