Fianna Fáil, Tullow Oil & Uganda

[MPB]

Fair play to the Ugandan Govt.

At least they know the value of their natural rescources.

[pujols]

Several questions are being intertwined here which are complicating this thread

Should Ireland have a programme of foreign aid?

Should Uganda be a recipient of that aid?

How is that aid administered?

What conditions are put on the use of that aid?

I think that running these together with other issues mentioned (that I do not want to touch on for legal reasons) will lead to a lack of clarity. maybe they could be separated out.

One final point regarding Uganda's military spending; I saw recently that they are carrying out peackeeping missions on behalf of the UN or African Union. If that is so,then fair play to them and surely they need equipment and training.

[Mushroom]

One final point regarding Uganda's military spending; I saw recently that they are carrying out peackeeping missions on behalf of the UN or African Union. If that is so,then fair play to them and surely they need equipment and training.

Yes indeed - there's a massive need for Russian-made advanced attack bombers on UN Peacekeeping missions.

[pujols]

Yes indeed - there's a massive need for Russian-made advanced attack bombers on UN Peacekeeping missions.

Love the sarcasm by the way.

Wasn't it bombing missions that stopped the Serbs continuing their slaughter in Kosovo

Just asking.

[Mushroom]

Love the sarcasm by the way.

Well, you started it!

[Éireann go Brách]

Several questions are being intertwined here which are complicating this thread

Should Ireland have a programme of foreign aid?

Should Uganda be a recipient of that aid?

How is that aid administered?

What conditions are put on the use of that aid?

I think that running these together with other issues mentioned (that I do not want to touch on for legal reasons) will lead to a lack of clarity. maybe they could be separated out.

One final point regarding Uganda's military spending; I saw recently that they are carrying out peackeeping missions on behalf of the UN or African Union. If that is so,then fair play to them and surely they need equipment and training.

I think this thread is about question 4 and wheter there is corruption involved, of course the other questions effect question 4 but should be discussed in another thread of the same name as the question I think.
They are whole other topics in themselves.

The topic of this thread is Fianna Fail , Tullow oil, Uganda

[Munnkeyman]

Several questions are being intertwined here which are complicating this thread

Should Ireland have a programme of foreign aid?

Should Uganda be a recipient of that aid?

How is that aid administered?

What conditions are put on the use of that aid?

I think that running these together with other issues mentioned (that I do not want to touch on for legal reasons) will lead to a lack of clarity. maybe they could be separated out.

One final point regarding Uganda's military spending; I saw recently that they are carrying out peackeeping missions on behalf of the UN or African Union. If that is so,then fair play to them and surely they need equipment and training.

[COLOR=green][COLOR=darkred]Should Ireland have a programme of foreign aid?[/COLOR] [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Yes. Though[/COLOR]
on conditions.

[COLOR=darkred]Should Uganda be a recipient of that aid?[/COLOR]
Yes and no. Very high levels of corruption in Government.
Yoweri Museveni, the leader of a rebel group in the time of Okello, seized power in 1986, and remains in power. He has been lauded for his international commitment to a stable Africa, as well as for his economic and social reforms in Uganda. However, Uganda has yet to experience free and fair elections

Donors threaten to cut aid to Uganda over corruption | Katine | guardian.co.uk

"The undeniable lack of government action to follow up on cases of grand corruption is a key [COLOR=black]area of [/COLOR][COLOR=black]development[/COLOR][COLOR=black] partner[/COLOR] concern. Policies, laws and institutions are in place, but enforcement is limited, creating a culture of impunity," Kadiresan told the meeting last week.
As well as coming under fire for corruption, Uganda faces pressure from donors to withdraw its anti-homosexuality bill, which advocates the death penalty and prison sentences for repeat offenders. Sweden has said it would cut aid to Uganda if the bill is passed, and Britain, the US and Canada have condemned it."

[COLOR=black]Angry donors threaten aid cut[/COLOR]
The Observer - Angry donors threaten aid cut

[COLOR=darkred]How is that aid administered?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Primarily by Irish Aid[/COLOR]
Irish Aid - Country - Uganda

Department of Foreign Affairs
Irish Aid focuses on the most pressing needs of the Ugandan population, education, HIV/AIDS, governance and poverty.
Over the next 5 years. 32.9million Euros will be spent on support to HIV/AIDS to scale up prevention activities and improve access to services for people living with HIV/AIDS whereas 53.6m Euros has been committed on governance programmes such as justice for the poor and the vulnerable. The Irish minister’s three-day visit included a trip to Karamoja in north eastern Uganda, where he met the Ugandan First Lady and Minster for Karamoja Affairs Janet Museveni and the Ugandan Minister for Education Namirembe Bitamazire to officially launch the Irish Aid programme there.

[COLOR=darkred]What conditions are put on the use of that aid?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]That it not be used for Defence equipment.[/COLOR]


Here's a breakdown of spending 2007-9
http://www.irishaid.gov.ie/Uploads/U...Evaluation.pdf

[pujols]

Cheers Munkeyman I shall be busy for a while.

As for the rest of the thread, I shall depart, too much inference for my taste.

[MsAnneThrope]

Good thread Catalpa. Let's see if we can join a few dots...

There is an organisation called Traidlinks

Traidlinks was founded in 2004 as a result of the Private Sector Forum, convened by the then Minister for Development Cooperation Tom Kitt, which explored how best to support enterprise in developing countries. [...]

Traidlinks is a not-for-profit organisation and has its origins in the Private Sector Forum of 2004 which explored how to build links between the Irish business community and the Irish Aid [part of Michael Martin's Dept of Foreign Affairs] programme in developing countries.

Here is a link to Irish Aid's "Country Strategy Paper 2010-2014" for Uganda, in PDF format. (check out the anti-corruption poster in it)

It also includes this snippet about Traidlinks:

Traidlinks, an Irish not-for-profit organisation, was established in 2006 by a group of prominent business leaders in Ireland to support private sector development in Africa. Irish Aid is supporting Traidlinks to expand its training programme to 60 companies in Uganda over a five year period. The programme will assist in identifying regional market opportunities for these companies and in increasing output and profitability. Traidlinks currently assists 12 companies in Uganda to improve their standards, production capacities and marketing strategies.

It turns out that Aidan Heavey, the CEO of Tullow Oil, is also listed as a director of Traidlinks. He would also appear to be a UK resident as his directorships of Tullow and Traidlinks give an address in England. So could we correctly assume he pays no personal income taxes in Ireland, yet seems to have an influence on where Irish Aid's efforts and money are directed?

[Catalpa]

Hey Catalpa,
Good idea to start a new thread on this.
Should get a lot more attention.


Sorry I just have to post this quote on this
thread as well it kind of says it all.

http://www.independent.co.ug/index.p...ver-agreements-

Quote From Article Above: During the battle between Tullow and Italian oil giant, Eni, for Heritage’s shares early this year, rumour was rife that ministers in Museveni’s inner circle were backing various companies and stood to gain from winning favour for their side. A January report by The Times of London that Eni was prepared to offer the government a US$300 million “sweetener” to convince it to approve its purchase of Heritage’s shares seemed to lend some credibility to such rumours.

Tullow Aims to Block Eni's Uganda Play [SIZE=1][COLOR=#666666]JANUARY 18, 2010[/COLOR][/SIZE]
Tullow Aims to Block Eni's Uganda Play - WSJ.com
Apparently a lot of play between factions within Museveni Government
"The government said Monday has not yet decided whether to approve Tullow's pre-emption.
Tullow Chief Executive Aidan Heavey said Tullow is acting with the full blessing of the government and he was confident it would approve the deal."

Eni to sweeten Uganda oil deal with up to $300 million cash offer: report
Eni to sweeten Uganda oil deal with up to $300 million cash offer: report - MarketWatch

Tullow Oil Prices
Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com

Thanks Folks!

Munnkeyman - yes I decided to go with another thread as while it was good of the original OP to highlight this Giveaway our Irish Taxpayers Money a lot more has come to the surface the deeper you dig...

This is a Scandal of major proportions & one the mainstream media wants to run a mile from.

€165 Million down a black hole to emerge God knows where

- & yet no Journo wants to touch the story it with a barge pole....