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US says African corruption fight vital for aid

COPENHAGEN: US President George W Bush delivered a tough message for African nations hoping for more aid or debt relief, saying on Wednesday they had to abide by the rules of democracy and fight corruption.

Ahead of a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) leaders at Gleneagles in Scotland, where more aid for Africa as well as climate change will top the agenda, Bush did not single out any African nation for criticism.

His host, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, was more outspoken. He mentioned Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe as one to whom the world should not be afraid to refuse aid.

“We will give aid, absolutely, and cancel debt, you bet, but we want to be assured that governments invest in their people ... and fight corruption,” Bush said during a visit to thank Rasmussen for his support in Iraq, where Denmark has 530 troops.

“I don’t know how we can look our taxpayers in the eye and say, this is a good deal to give money to countries that are corrupt,” Bush added at a news conference.

The visit, the first to Denmark by a US president since Bill Clinton’s in 1997, was given minute-by-minute coverage by the main local television stations. Bush was due to fly later on Wednesday from Copenhagen to Gleneagles.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the G8 host, has received backing from G8 members for debt relief for African nations.

Washington and others have opposed a more ambitious plan to raise an extra $50 billion in aid money by issuing bonds using future development budgets as collateral. Rasmussen said his Nordic nation was a generous donor to poor countries, but there had to be conditions. “All our aid will come to nothing if countries are ruled by corrupt dictators,” he said.

“We should generously reward countries that fight corruption, ensure political liberty and economic freedom ... and we should not be afraid to stop aid to dictators like Zimbabwe’s Mugabe,” he added. The EU has set targeted sanctions on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whom it accuses of human rights violations.

Although Denmark has been a staunch supporter of US policy in Iraq, there has been some popular scepticism. reuters

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