GEORGETOWN, Guyana – France has drawn up a blacklist of 17 countries including Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica for not investigating foreign aid fraud, banning the use of their banks in the distribution of development funds.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) yesterday reported that in addition to the Caribbean countries, Switzerland, Lebanon, Panama, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Liberia and Vanuatu have been added to the list. AFP said that aides to development minister Pascal Canfin were unable to say how much French foreign aid currently transits via banks in the countries on the new blacklist.
