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Aid priorities all wrong - Street
Aid priorities all wrong
News that Libya is about to receive $1.8 billion in cash as the UN Sanctions Committee lifted the freeze on that country's funds yesterday, is welcome but raises questions again about John Key's decision to commit of 'millions' from New Zealand, says Maryan Street, Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Overseas Development Assistance.
"John Key needs to answer why he was so quick to pledge millions to an oil-rich country which had imminent access to frozen funds and yet the government has been extremely slow to deliver $2 million to Somalia where the world's worst drought continues to take the lives of untold numbers of children," said Maryan Street.
"At whose urging did he sign off on a donation to Libya without a proper analysis of what was actually needed in that country?
"Who is pulling his strings? The humanitarian need in Somalia and the Horn of Africa would have benefited from such a rapid response.
"Unfortunately, Murray McCully has been dragging his heels over getting that aid to where it is needed," she said.
"Mr Key and Mr McCully need to
explain why the government was so quick to respond to one
situation and so slow to respond to the other," said Maryan
Street.
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