Donors should channel aid direct to recipient nations - President
UK: Donor nations or agencies should not take the political and
global objectives of the recipient country into consideration when
granting aid to a country, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he
addressed the Commonwealth Heads of States meeting on Reform on
International Institutions at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London on
Tuesday.
President Rajapaksa emphasised that donor nations or agencies should
take cognisance of the real situation existing in recipient countries
when giving such aid. The President said multi-national Financial
Institutions should channel their aid direct to the recipient nations
without providing it through NGOs.
In most instances NGOs acted according to their own agendas without
identifying people's needs and investing funds properly on development
activities, he said. President Rajapaksa also stressed the need for the
UN and its agencies to act on a transparent basis.
Heads of State of 12 nations attended this meeting presided by
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma also participated.
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday met a British
Parliamentary group which comprised representatives from different
political parties. The current situation in Sri Lanka and the measures
being taken to eradicate terrorism and seek a political solution to the
conflict were extensively discussed.
The President explained to them the steps taken to liberate the
Eastern Province to hold an election and also the action pursued to
implement development schemes and to protect human rights.
The LTTE activities in Britain were widely discussed between the
President and the parliamentary group.
The British parliamentary group pledged every possible assistance to
Sri Lanka.
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Commonwealth meeting ends
UN: The two-day meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of States on how
the international institutions should be reformed to meet the challenges
of the 21st century concluded yesterday.
On a decision arrived at the recent meeting, a group consisting of
Heads of 11 States including President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected to
discuss reforms of the international institutions.
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