asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the present support given to SADCC States by Ireland; if, in the light of recent attacks by South Africa on front-line states he plans to increase Irish aid in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - SADCC States.
33.
SADCC — the Southern African Development Co-Ordination Conference — is an inter-state organisation whose members are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Ireland has had close relations with the member states of SADCC for a considerable time. In 1988 and in recent years, as much as two-thirds of Ireland's bilateral aid has been allocated to three member states of SADCC, viz. Lesotho, Tanzania and Zambia.
Ireland condemns the continuing activities of South Africa in seeking to destablise her neighbours through armed incursions into their territories by her security forces and through support for paramilitary movements opposed to the Governments of her neighbours.
The level of Irish aid for the countries of SADCC is as high as present economic circumstances permit and I do not propose increasing it at this time.