Song from Burundi, But No Bilateral Aid to Rwanda

Something to make you sing from Burundi, while Canada cuts its aid to the country’s non-identical twin, Rwanda.

On Monday the Harper government announced that it will be “retargetting” foreign aid to 20 instead of 25 countries or regions. Under a system set in place by the last Liberal government, 14 African countries received bilateral aid, but now only seven will. Malawi, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Zambia, Niger, Cameroon, and Benin are off the list as well as Rwanda.

Government spokespersons say the total amount of bilateral aid won’t decrease, but it will just be focused more on countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Yup, and weren’t Canadians so proud when the one person who came out of the horrible Rwandan genocide with his head held high was a Canadian, Roméo Dallaire? I thought we were here for the long term.