| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Security Sector Reform
17. Mr. Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress of her Department in promoting security sector reform. [111189]
Clare Short: Our policy on security sector reform in developing countries is set out in our policy statement on "Poverty and the Security Sector" which was launched in March 1999.
In many countries bloated, ill-disciplined security sector forces, absorbing disproportionate resources, abuse their power and sometimes lead to coups and conflict which hold back development and cause the growth of poverty. We are focused primarily on providing assistance to strengthen the democratic accountability and transparency of the security sector and where appropriate to facilitate the transition to peace. We are also working to improve objective assessment of threat and security services of appropriate size and that are properly trained.
We are currently working in this way with the FCO and MOD in Sierra Leone. We have funded a number of projects involving both UK and Commonwealth officials who are working very closely with the Government of Sierra Leone on a wide range of governance and security sector reform measures. Positive steps are also being
1 Mar 2000 : Column: 295W
made in Nigeria, where the three Departments are supporting the Government of Nigeria in its efforts to reform the security sector.
A copy of DFID's policy statement on Poverty and the Security Sector, along with the two papers and speeches from the February symposium have been placed in the Library of the House.
18. Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have agreed to adopt poverty relief or education programmes to qualify for debt relief and further aid. [111190]
Clare Short:
The revision to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative requires the 41 countries to develop and implement national poverty reduction strategies to qualify for debt relief. Other counties who access the most concessional resources of the IMF and World Bank will also need to produce these strategies, which will then form the basis for IMF and Bank lending operations. These strategies will be centred on achieving the international development targets, including the provision of universal primary education. The development of these strategies is now underway across the world.
24. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact of multilateral debt relief on development projects funded by her Department. [111196]
Clare Short:
The revision to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative requires countries to produce national poverty reduction strategies to qualify for their debt relief. These strategies will set out policies and priority actions for governments, and provide a framework for all donor assistance. Where they are credible, the international community should support them wholeheartedly. I welcome the decision of the World bank and the IMF to tie their assistance to these strategies.
20. Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will reply to the second report from the International Development Committee, Session 1999-2000 (HC 67) on "The Future of Sanctions"; and if she will make a statement. [111192]
Clare Short:
I welcome the Committee's report and commend its proposals. We will be considering the conclusions and recommendations carefully and we will produce a detailed response in due course. The Department for International Development (DFID) is already taking action on some of the recommendations. There will be a joint FCO/DFID mission, probably in the last week of March, to the UN to explore how the UN Secretariat can be assisted in offering better advice to the Security Council on the design and implementation of sanctions, and what role the UK may play in this.
21. Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she is giving to the Government of Pakistan to help to set up and maintain ophthalmic services in rural areas. [111193]
1 Mar 2000 : Column: 296W
Clare Short:
We are not currently giving any such assistance to help set up and maintain ophthalmic services in rural areas of Pakistan. Such services have benefited indirectly in the past from our contributions to Pakistan's Social Action Programme which aims to improve basic social services including health. Since last October's military coup, our development assistance to the Pakistan Government has been frozen. We have advised the new administration that if they make clear commitment to action on poverty reduction--requiring better economic management, action against corruption and an early transition to democracy, we will reinstate our support.
22. Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received about her Department's policies on the development of the agricultural sector in Africa. [111194]
Clare Short:
Officials maintain regular contact with developing country governments, civil society and the private sector on the development of the agricultural sector in Africa. We seek to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor and reduce poverty.
We have recently commissioned an independent evaluation to assess the impact of our sustainable agriculture strategy. The study will be completed later this year.
23. Mr. David Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's response to the recent floods in Mozambique. [111195]
Clare Short:
Since my statement to the House on 28 February 2000, Official Report, column 21, the situation in Mozambique has continued to deteriorate and is likely to get worse.
The UN is providing a senior administrator who will arrive today to improve co-ordination. The UK has provided a further five helicopters, 76 boats and 39 life rafts with a team of expert volunteers. We stand ready to do more.
25. Mr. Alan W. Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the United Nations conference on education to be held in Senegal in April. [111197]
Clare Short:
The World Education Forum in Dakar from 26-28 April will assess progress achieved in the 10 years since the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien. This International Consultative Forum has been convened by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World bank. I will attend the Forum.
1 Mar 2000 : Column: 297W
Our priority in Dakar is to obtain a strong commitment from North and South to the implementation of strategies for achieving effective primary education for all by 2015. In assessing the progress that has been made since Jomtien, it is important that the Forum pays particular attention to analysing why some countries, including some of the poorest, have managed to achieve considerably more than others.
26. Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the recent UNCTAD conference in Bangkok. [111198]
Clare Short:
The UNCTAD X Conference was devoted to the theme of globalisation and how developing countries can best take advantage of it. Its concluding Declaration emphasised the importance of the multilateral trading system and of building the capacity of developing countries to participate in it fully. The Conference also agreed a Plan Of Action, which sets out the priorities for UNCTAD's work for the next four years. This will increase the complementarities between the work of UNCTAD and that of the WTO, strengthening its ability to contribute to efforts to build developing countries' capacity to manage their integration into the global economy.
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade spoke in the interactive debate on 13 February. I attended the conference on 16 February and spoke in the interactive debate on trade and development. My statement (a copy of which is in the Library of the House) stressed the importance to developing countries of attracting investment, of maintaining the momentum of the multilateral trade system and of starting a new round of trade negotiations in which the developing countries can advance their interests. My bilateral conversations with the heads of multilateral agencies and developing countries' trade ministers were supportive of the priorities outlined in my speech.
Both the UNCTAD Secretary General and his staff, and the Thai authorities are to be congratulated for preparing and organising this constructive and forward-looking conference.
27. Mr. Martlew:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to support Fair Trade Fortnight. [111199]
Clare Short:
My Department takes every opportunity to promote fair trade products and support ethical trading in mainstream business. We support the efforts of the Fair Trade Foundation, Comic Relief, the Co-Operative Bank and others, to inform consumers of how they assist poor producers in the developing world by purchasing fair trade purchases. Tomorrow I will be attending the launch of Fair Trade Fortnight, at St. Martin in the Fields in London, where I will sign the Fair Trade Pledge promising to buy a different Fair Trade product every month. I would urge members to follow suit and help
1 Mar 2000 : Column: 298W
ensure that farmers in the developing world are being paid a fair wage, without exploitation or damage to their environment, that their families have access to education, and that they are able to invest in improving basic health and well-being.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |