Vol. 320 No. 1
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will designate the Republic of Zimbabwe as a country for special priority in our bilateral aid programme in view of their emergence from a period of bitter civil war with the consequent damage to life and property and the need for a programme of reconstruction.
6.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the practical measures by way of aid or otherwise, being taken in response to the request by the Government of Zimbabwe for assistance from the international community.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
Although the new Government of Zimbabwe have not made a formal request for assistance to us, we are aware that the new State will need support in order to overcome its short-term difficulties and to lay the basis for its future economic development.
As the bilateral aid programme is already fully committed for the current year, the bulk of funds being allocated to four countries—Lesotho, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia—it is not at this stage envisaged that Zimbabwe would be included among the "priority" or concentration countries in the programme.
While the Government will be most anxious to assist and co-operate with this newly independent state the exact form and content of this co-operation will need to be determined in the light of the wishes of the new Government of Zimbabwe and of available resources. Our usual practice, in formulating our development co-operation programmes is to respond to the wishes of our partner countries, in whatever way is appropriate, after joint examination of the possibilities for co-operation envisaged.
I appreciate that the bilateral programme is committed for this year but, having regard to the nature of the relationship and the fact that the Zimbabwe republic is the only African State in which there is a substantial Irish population or population of Irish origin, is the Minister prepared at this stage to indicate the willingness of the Government to enter into negotiations with the Government of Zimbabwe with a view to incorporating it in the bilateral programme for 1981?
We will certainly investigate the matter with a view to doing what the Deputy suggests and, although it is not strictly relevant to the question, we will be sending a trade mission there inside a matter of a month or six weeks organised by CTT with a view to establishing trade contacts and possible outlets. But I agree with the Deputy on the importance of this new State and its great potential.
Deputy O'Keeffe wishes to come in with a supplementary. I will come back to Deputy Quinn.
I did not want to cut across my colleague. Is it the situation that, apart from good intentions, really we have nothing to offer by way of response to the appeal which this State has made to the international community for aid to get itself up off the ground?
The Deputy is talking about a State that has enormous potential outside the area of bilateral aid. Deputy Quinn has a question down and the reply, which I will be giving shortly, shows what we are doing in a practical way in that country with a view to establishing closer contacts.
We will have a final supplementary from Deputy Quinn.
I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs cannot commit himself to the House on matters in relation to other countries but, for the purpose of the record, can I take it that the Minister is well disposed towards the incorporation of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Ireland's bilateral aid programme at some stage in the future?
Yes.
If the programme has not petered out altogether by then.
Be sensible.
You were going to lay down your lives——
This is Question Time and the Deputy should not make statements.
