Maravi

‘It’s impossible for donors to do nothing when their money is being misused’

‘It’s impossible for donors to do nothing when their money is being misused’
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Thursday, July 16, 2009 5:10:06 AM

FRENCH Ambassador to Zambia Francoise Le Bihan has said it is impossible for donors to do nothing when their money is being misused.

And Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia Harry Molenaar said the Netherlands government and the Ministry of Health have set conditions that have to be met before funding can be resumed to the Ministry of Health.

In an interview on Tuesday, Ambassador Le Bihan said it was the work of the government to see how donor money was disbursed.

"The priorities have to be done by the government and it is not the task of the donors, the donors are giving the money and it is the responsibility of the government, if you don't do that, you will never fight corruption. You have to put some, you have to give some signal, very, very strong signal. Everybody responsible has to give the signal, the government, the donors. When your money is abused, what can we do?" she asked.

When asked if the solution to the problem was suspension of funding, she responded: "I should prefer you give the question, you ask the Swedish donors for example because they are the ones who suspended, but you know they can't see the money misused and do nothing. It's impossible."

Ambassador Le Bihan said the fight against corruption was essential in every country. She said here in Zambia, it was a legacy from the late president Levy Mwanawasa.

"So it's something very important because it's like a promise to somebody who died, so it's something sacred, because it's a promise to the late president. What we see in the press, in your newspaper is that, yes the fight is going on; maybe I think the government can't do everything at the same time. They have to go step by step but each step is welcome because when you see in the Ministry of Health, there were a lot of problems and countries suspend. It is a strong signal to stop corruption," Ambassador Le Bihan said.

"When somebody in the civil service is guilty with corruption, you have to take him out of the duty and to clean the service, it is very important. The work against corruption in general is very hard and it's a fight to each day, each hour and everywhere in each service, in each ministry."

And Ambassador Molenaar said they were working with officials from the Ministry of Health on how they could resume the funding.

He said they were looking at what steps to be taken before they could resume their contribution.

"We have made some engagements, we are in discussion with the ministry and we have made clear plans together, not only from us but both parties sitting round the table and these conditions have to be fulfilled. The conditions we have jointly agreed upon which should happening before the funding can be released," he said.

On whether funding could be resumed soon, Ambassador Molenaar said there was a timeframe but the conditions had to be met first.

And during the French national day, Ambassador Le Bihan said in spite of the global crisis, Zambia was fighting to reach a better welfare.

She said in that objective, its role in the region, within regional organisations such as Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) must be dominant.

Ambassador Le Bihan said the regional integration would be a chance for Zambia as well as the diversification of its economy.

Science and technology minister Gabriel Namulambe said relations between Zambia and France had always been cordial based on mutual trust and respect.

Namulambe said the Zambian people also commend France for supporting efforts to improve education standards through the provision of educational materials and scholarships.

"In as far as our bilateral trade is concerned, we need to put our efforts together and bring to fruition the agreement on the promotion and protection of investment to facilitate secure and effective trade transactions between Zambia and France," he said.

Namulambe encouraged the French government to continue lobbying for the inclusion of more African states at international foras in making fundamental decisions that affect the world at large.

Labels: AMBASSADOR, CORRUPTION, DONORS, FRANCOISE LE BIHAN, HARRY MOLENAAR

posted by MrK @ 4:10 AM