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11 Dec 2002 : Column 335W—continued

Uzbekistan

17. Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will next visit Uzbekistan to discuss aid to Uzbekistan; and if she will make a statement. [84703]

Clare Short: I have no plans to visit Uzbekistan to discuss aid to the country. I plan to visit Uzbekistan in May next year to chair the Annual Meeting of the EBRD Board of Governors.

Malawi

18. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Malawi. [84704]

Clare Short: A recent assessment concluded that 2.2 million people in Malawi are currently in need of food assistance, and this will rise to 3.25 million—a third of the population—between January and March 2003. Another assessment is now under way. It is also considering the extent to which AIDS and income poverty have contributed to the crisis. The results should be available by 30 December.

My Department is playing a leading role in partnership with the Government of Malawi and other donors, in dealing with the crisis. Since November 2001 DFID has provided #30 million emergency assistance to Malawi.

Nagorno-Karabakh

19. Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is providing to Armenia and to help with the refugee problem in Nagorno-Karabakh; and if she will make a statement. [84705]

Clare Short: My Department has provided support to refugees who have fled from Azerbaijan and Karabakh to Armenia, and also to Azeri refugees who have fled from Armenia and Karabakh to Azerbaijan. Between 2000 and 2001, we gave #660,000 to UNHCR to support refugees in Armenia. In March 2001, we also gave an additional #500,000 to WFP to provide emergency food assistance to 297,000 subsistence farmers and other drought victims in Armenia.

We provide approximately #2 million for longer-term developmental assistance to Armenia. This is focused on public sector reform, the implementation of poverty reduction strategies and work on medium-term expenditure planning.

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In 2003, DFID in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, plans to spend a further #2 million from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool on a three-year conflict prevention programme. These funds will be used to help the victims of the conflict and maximise the chances of reaching an acceptable settlement on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

CDC Investments

20. Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to reduce the target rates of return for CDC investments. [84706]

Clare Short: The Government do not set target rates of return for CDC investments.

Occupied Territories

21. Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the occupied territories. [84707]

Clare Short: The only solution to the humanitarian situation in Palestine is through political action, but we should not allow the increased human suffering of the Palestinian people to continue unaddressed. The UN has recently produced a plan of action to help the international community address the most urgent needs. We are supporting a broad range of emergency programmes through UNRWA, local NGOs and the World bank. In October, I agreed an additional #5 million from my Department's contingency reserve to meet the continuing urgent needs of the Palestinian people.

World Poverty

22. Mr. Mike Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to ensure that programmes for tackling world poverty continue after the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in 2015. [84708]

Clare Short: 900 million people are still likely to be living in extreme poverty in 2015 if the Millennium Development Goals are achieved. Our commitment to eliminate poverty will not end in 2015.

The 2015 targets are intended to focus international efforts and build a more effective international development system. New targets will need to be set after 2015.

Africa (Famine)

23. Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for International Development What help her Department is giving to those countries in Africa that are suffering from famine. [84709]

Clare Short: We have made the following commitments for the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa, since September 2001. In addition, we estimate that our contribution to commitments by the European Commission to date is approximately #21.42 million.

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Date/country	Description	Total (# million)
September 2001
Zimbabwe	Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO): Feeding programme	4.0
Zimbabwe	World Food Programme (WFP): Emergency Appeal	3.5
Malawi	Agricultural Targeted Inputs Programme	3.75
Angola	UN Appeal for Angola 2001	0.5
January-May 2002
Malawi	NGOs: Feeding programmes	4.4
Malawi	Winter Agricultural Inputs programme	1.2
Angola	Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF): Assistance to Displaced People in Kuito and Camacupa	0.45
Angola	UN Appeal for Angola 2002	1.0
Angola	International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Appeal for Angola 2002	0.3
June 2002
Zimbabwe	WFP: Regional Emergency Feeding Operation	7.0
Lesotho	WFP: Regional Emergency Feeding Operation	1.56
Malawi	WFP: Regional Emergency Feeding Operation	5.0
Swaziland	WFP: Regional Emergency Feeding Operation	0.25
Zambia	WFP: Regional Emergency Feeding Operation	5.0
Zambia	NGOs: Food for work programme	1.02
Region	WFP: Logistical support in Johannesburg regional hub, Lesotho and Zimbabwe	0.51
Region	Southern Africa Development Community (SADC): Vulnerability assessments to improve targeting of humanitarian assistance	0.2
Region	International Federation of Red Cross/Crescent Societies (IFRC): Feeding HIV/AIDS affected people	2.5
Region	WHO: regional health operation	0.13
Malawi	Agricultural Targeted Inputs Programme	6.8
Zimbabwe	NGOs: Agricultural inputs	5.0
Zimbabwe	World Health Organisation (WHO): Essential drugs and medicines	2.5
Angola	UN Bridging Request for Humanitarian Operations	0.67
July 2002
Angola	MSF: Assistance to Displaced People in Bunjei and Huambo	0.3
Angola	MSF: Assistance to Population of Saurimo and Cuando Cubango	0.3
August 2002
Angola	ICRC: 2002 Appeal for Angola	0.75
September 2002
Zimbabwe	NGOs: Feeding Programmes	16.0
Malawi/Region	WFP: Nacala Rail-link	4.1
October 2002
Zambia	Agricultural recovery through NGO's and FAO	1.5
Zambia	Improved nutrition programme	1.2
Zambia	Support to the health sector	0.2
Region	Southern African Humanitarian Information Service (SAHIMS)	0.11
Region	Southern Africa Humanitarian Crisis Unit: Monitoring and liaison	0.5
Lesotho	Livelihoods recovery through agriculture programme	1.0
Zimbabwe	Epidemic preparedness	1.2
Zimbabwe	Improved nutrition programme	1.1
Angola	UN Development Programme (UNDP): Emergency Mine Action Co-ordination	0.3
Angola	International Organisation for Migration (IOM): Assistance to Internally Displaced People in Kuanza Sul and Huambo	0.25
November 2002
Region	SADC: Vulnerability assessments	0.2
Zambia	WFP: Emergency Feeding Operation	3.5
Lesotho	WFP: Emergency Feeding Operation	0.5
Angola	WFP: Food Assistance to Vulnerable People	2.0
Angola	WFP: Logistical Support	0.75
Angola	UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA): Emergency Response Fund	0.5
Angola	UNOCHA: Co-ordination of Emergency Activities	0.2
Total since September 2001	Humanitarian assistance and recovery programmes	93.7

We have also made the following contributions for humanitarian interventions in Ethiopia and Eritrea since September 2001. In addition the UK provides

11 Dec 2002 : Column 338W

nearly 20 per cent. of EC Support, which has included Euro23 million for food aid in October 2002 and Euro4 million of humanitarian aid for the victims of drought.

11 Dec 2002 : Column 339W

Date/country	Description	Total (# million)
December 2001
Ethiopia	Contribution to ICRC 2002 Appeal	3.0
Eritrea	Contribution to ICRC 2002 Appeal	0.75
March 2002
Ethiopia	WFP: Employment Generation Schemes	1.0
Ethiopia	WFP: Relief Food Assistance to Small Scale Farmers and Pastoralists	1.0
Ethiopia	WFP: Early Warning Systems Development and Implementation	0.16
Ethiopia	WFP: Food Assistance for Refugees and Repatriates	0.15
Ethiopia	UNICEF: Provision of Contingency Support to Emergency Response	0.5
Ethiopia	UNICEF: Jijiga Therapeutic Feeding Training and Demonstration Centre	0.23
Ethiopia	UNICEF: Mine Awareness Education	0.14
Ethiopia	UNDP: Support IDPs and Recovery Programme Coordination	0.36
Ethiopia	WHO: Prevention and Control of Epidemic Meningococcal Disease	0.35
Ethiopia	UNDP Emergency Unit for Ethiopia: Humanitarian Programme Coordination	0.25
July 2002
Ethiopia	Second Contribution to ICRC 2002 Appeal	2.0
Eritrea	Second Contribution to ICRC 2002 Appeal	0.6
September 2002
Ethiopia	UNICEF: Water and Environmental Sanitation	0.5
October 2002
Ethiopia	GOAL: Emergency Relief Assistance for Drought Affected Pastoralists	0.58
Ethiopia	MSF: Pre-Harvest Food Gap Nutrition Intervention in Dehanna Woreda	0.17
Ethiopia	MSF: Tuberculosis Control Programme	0.29
Ethiopia	SCF: Emergency Drought Relief	1.43
November 2002
Ethiopia	Oxfam: Afar Emergency Response	0.2
Total since September 2001	Humanitarian assistance and recovery programme	13.66

In addition on 3 December the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development announced a further #5 million of relief to meet humanitarian needs in Ethiopia.

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