Andrew Mitchell is facing questions over restoring aid because of his links with Rwandan president Paul Kagame. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
Downing Street approved the controversial decision last month by the then international development secretary Andrew Mitchell to restore British aid to Rwanda in spite of fears about the human rights record of the president, Paul Kagame.
As Mitchell faces criticism over his decision to grant £16m in aid on his last day in office, it emerged that the move was backed jointly by No 10 and the Foreign Office (FCO). Hours after his decision last month Mitchell took up the post of government chief whip.
Mitchell, who is under renewed pressure to resign for swearing at police officers in Downing Street, is facing questions over his decision to restore the aid because he is known to have forged a strong political relationship with Kagame while the Tories were in opposition.
The former international development secretary originally put a block on Britain's annual £37m contribution to the Rwandan government in July after visiting the Kivus region of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kagame's forces are facing accusations of arming the M23 rebels in the DRC and involvement in atrocities, including mass rape.
Mitchell decided to unfreeze the aid to Rwanda last month, citing progress at the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region under the chairmanship of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda. His decision was questioned by some FCO officials who felt that Kagame had not made enough progress.
But the Guardian understands that the unfreezing of the aid was formally approved by the Department for International Development, the FCO and Downing Street. The decision did not need to be referred to the national security council because it was seen as uncontroversial within government.
David Cameron is familiar with Rwanda because he has visited Project Umubano, the Tories' largest overseas social action programme established in the country by Mitchell, in 2007.
A government source said: "It was the agreed policy of the government."
Justine Greening, Mitchell's successor as international development secretary, is reviewing the funding and expected to adopt a different approach when she has to make a decision in December on the final £21m tranche of the £37m due to Rwanda.
It is expected Greening will decide that all the money should be given to aid projects on the ground, with none going to the government in Kigali.
Greening believes it is right to send a signal that Britain does not approve of Kagame, but she does not want people in Rwanda to suffer.
In addition to the £37m Britain will send directly to Rwanda, an extra £90m from Britain's aid budget is distributed to non-governmental organisations. All of the £37m was originally earmarked for the Rwandan government. Mitchell split the money he approved last month, with £8m allocated in direct aid to the Rwandan government and £8m for educational and agricultural projects run by non-governmental organisations.
The chief whip has had a close involvement with Rwanda through Project Umubano and has visited the country eight times in six years.
Mitchell paid his own airfare from Britain to Kigali in July to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest because he took part in Project Umubano during his visit. British activists, many of whom are Tories, teach in schools or coach football as part of the project. Mitchell flew back from Mozambique, which he had visited solely for government business. The return flight was therefore paid by the government.
Amnesty International published a report earlier this week that claimed civilians have been tortured and held without charge at military camps in Rwanda. Sarah Jackson, Amnesty's acting deputy Africa director, said: "The Rwandan military's human rights record abroad is increasingly scrutinised, but their unlawful detention and torture of civilians in Rwanda is shrouded in secrecy. Donors funding military training must suspend financial support to security forces involved in human rights violations."
Greening is expected to depart from Mitchell in another key area by making moves towards downgrading Britain's aid contribution to India on the grounds that it has one of the fastest and most dynamic economies in the world. She would like to replace "aid with trade", but will work closely with Indian authorities before making any decisions.
Mitchell was familiar with these arguments. But he always pointed out that more people lived in poverty in India than in sub-Saharan Africa.
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