Australia’s $1 billion aid package to Indonesia would not be wasted through aid agency incompetence, John Howard last night vowed.
Arriving home from the Jakarta tsunami summit, Mr Howard described the package as a defining moment in the history of Australia-Indon relations.
The Indonesian death toll yesterday jumped 20,000 to more than 113,000.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan toured the devastated province of Aceh as the world body took charge of the global relief operation for the disaster that left over 165,000 dead.
But Mr Howard said he was determined there would be no UN involvement in Australia’s massive package to Indonesia.
“There’s not always the view that money that goes through international agencies necessarily gets well spent,” he said.
A bit of an understatement… but he made his point.
(Via Chrenkoff, who has an excellent roundup.)
Wise move, Don’t let ‘em UN middlemen touch d’funds with a ten foot pole, mate!
Comment by wits0 — 10 Jan, 2005 @ 11:32
Indeed. And I can but hope we have the same attitude.
Comment by Kathy K — 10 Jan, 2005 @ 19:53