PH not in France foreign aid blacklist, DFA says

The Philippines is not among the countries France blacklisted for failing to cooperate in probes on foreign aid fraud, a Cabinet official said.

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ph-not-in-france-foreign-aid-blacklist--dfa-says-062129732.html

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario on Wednesday belied reports that the Philippines is among the 17 countries France has barred from using its banks to distribute development funds.

"[I] have sought clarification with the French Government and have been officially advised that this information is totally inaccurate," Del Rosario's statement read.

"A full denial of this misinformation has been made by the French Foreign Minister," the statement added.

News circulated Tuesday that the Philippines was among the eight original "non-cooperative states and territories," which France has recently expanded to include 17 states.

"[W]e have in fact been informed that there is a new list and this list does not include the Philippines," Del Rosario said.

The mistake, he added, apparently arose from an interview of a civil servant by a French newspaper.

The blacklist included countries where France found lack of transparency in the use of development funds aimed at easing poverty in developing nations.

"The aim is primarily preventative, to put pressure on these countries by publicizing this list to progress towards more transparency," French officials have been quoted as saying.

Source: ph.news.yahoo.com by Kim Arveen Patria