Select Committee on International Development Minutes of Evidence


Examination of Witnesses (Questions 100 - 103)

TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2001

MS HELEN O'CONNELL, MS COSTANZA DE TOMA AND MS RUTH COLES

  100. But in terms of a goal you would agree that our representation on the Council of Ministers, and our UK representatives in the Parliament, should be pressing for full compliance with the DAC reporting criteria?
  (Ms de Toma) Yes.

  101. And the other issues are means to an end, are they not? They are management information systems—
  (Ms de Toma) Exactly. They are mechanisms.

  102.—to enable them to do as quickly as possible what they must do.
  (Ms de Toma) Absolutely.

Chairman

  103. Thank you very much for all your help and taking us through in some detail what is a fairly complex area. Can I just, in the spirit of the season, ask you to do this in a single sentence. If Father Christmas were to grant you one wish so far as European development assistance were concerned, what would your one wish be, starting with you, Costanza?
  (Ms de Toma) Oh dear, that is a difficult one. I feel like Scrooge. I think in the spirit of the season, as you say, I would go for a topical issue at the moment, which has not that much to do with reform but I think the current push to increase aid levels is important. Obviously it links in with the reform because it has to do with Member States, the political relationship between the Community, the institutions and the Member States, and I think it would be a very welcome present, and also the priority focus, so not just increasing aid levels but making sure they are more focused towards poorer countries.
  (Ms O'Connell) I would go for very well staffed, with very strong expertise, well funded, well managed delegations.
  (Ms Coles) I would go for clear straightforward application procedures, transparent assessment and rapid disbursement of monies.

  Chairman: Thank you for that very helpful summary. Excellent.





 
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