Irish aid agency GOAL has called on the Government to suspend all aid to Uganda because of concerns over potential corruption in the east African regime.
The Irish Timesreported this morning that Ireland had cut €10 million in State aid to the country because of the concerns.
The Minister for State for Overseas Co-operation, Mr Tom Kitt, took the decision to end direct funding to the Ugandan government after a visit to the country last month.
GOAL's chief executive, Mr John O'Shea, said in a statement this morning: "GOAL is very pleased at this unprecedented move by the Minister. It confirms that the Irish Government is finally prepared to acknowledge that corruption is a serious impediment to the delivery of aid to the poor.
"However the Minister has not gone far enough," he added. "If the Ugandan government is corrupt then the Irish Government should have no dealings whatsoever with it. Not a single euro should be routed through them.
"The poor of Uganda can be reached and helped through other channels. . . . If the government is prepared to cut aid by €10 million it should be prepared to cut off all aid. Otherwise the move will be seen as largely symbolic," Mr O'Shea said.