UK wastes £millions in Russia corruption clean-up
(Daily Mail): Britain spent £4.5million of its international aid budget on combating corruption in Russia, before civil servants admitted the programme had been largely unsuccessful. The money was spent between 2007 and 2011 on trying to make public administration in Russia, where bribery is rife, more efficient and transparent. It funded training courses for officials run by locally based non-governmental organisations. Information released by Whitehall also reveals that £542,000 of taxpayers' money went on helping Russia give cash to other countries as it became an 'emerging donor'. This included giving technical advice to officials in charge of Moscow's aid to Africa and Asia.
£114,803 was given to a programme designed to enable elderly Russians to influence decision-makers. £6,156 was contributed to the cost of translating documents on labour migration for use by aid organisations based in Russia.
In a report submitted to Ministers, the Department for International Development (DFID) admitted that although the anti-corruption training courses were generally well attended, 'evidence that they are changing behaviour is weak'.
Category: World News
Sadly this is typical of DfiD, which is why moves are underway to either substantially downside the department or close it altogether.
I'll bet most of that money went into the pockets of some of the select bunch of private contractors whoalways seem to figure in these scandals.