International donors will withdraw 375 million US dollar (2,3 milliarder DKR) in aid to Ethiopias government following its recent crackdown on the main opposition party and the independent press, Western diplomats has said.
The money will be reallocated to the UN and aid agencies working to combat poverty among the bulk of Ethiopias estimated 77 million people who live on less than a dollar a day.
Some of the money could also finance programs intended to strengthen democracy, the diplomats said.
Political unrest claimed the lives of at least 46 people in November. 42 died in June in similar protests, which began after the main opposition parties accused authorities of rigging May 15 polls that returned Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to power.
Thousands of people were detained in the subsequent crackdown, including leaders of the main opposition group, journalists and aid workers.
Meles has said the opposition deliberately stirred up the violence in a bid to topple the government.
Ethiopia receives some 1,9 billion US dollar in aid a year – the largest recipient of foreign assistance in Africa. About 700 million dollar is for emergency assistance while the rest is for development programs. Aid accounts for up to a third of the governments entire budget.
Britain, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, the World Bank, European Commission and African Development Bank provide direct budget support. They informed Ethiopian officials about two weeks ago that they would freeze aid to the government until the political situation improved, the diplomats said.
Britain announced earlier it planned to freeze 35,4 million US dollar in new aid to Ethiopia, ranked the seventh poorest country in the world.
Kilde: The Push Journal
