Burundi

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 5th April 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, as the noble Baroness has just heard, we believe that we are better placed to put some of our funding through the EU and the World Bank, where we are large contributors. Our funding programme that will end in 2012 was only a small programme of £10 million. We believe that putting in an agency that will actually help Burundi grow through its economic development will benefit that country far more than the £10 million that we were giving.

[Lord Tomlinson]

Will the noble Baroness accept my congratulations on the fact that in her answers she has suddenly made multilateral aid through the EU respectable? Thank you very much.

[Baroness Verma]

I thank my noble friend.