Britain says it will review its aid package to Ethiopia after
discovering malnourished children had been hidden from a visiting
British official during a recent visit to the country.
British
officials say International Development Minister Douglas Alexander
toured a hospital in Ethiopia's war-torn Somali region during a two-day
visit to the country this week.
Alexander learned that many of
the malnourished children he expected to find at the hospital had been
removed before his arrival.
The minister told British media
that he confronted Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and told him
that it was unconscionable if severely malnourished children had been
moved.
Alexander says he refused to make a commitment for future
aid to the Ethiopia. Britain gives about $225 million in aid each year
to Ethiopia, making it the largest recipient of British aid in Africa.
British officials say they believe the incident is a sign Ethiopia is downplaying the effects of a drought in the Somali region.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.