Written Answers. - Overseas Aid.
Dick Spring
Question:
109
Mr. Spring
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he has contacted the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs to establish when it will report on the use of funds allocated to it from various Governments, including the Irish Government, for the West Papua/Irian Jaya drought crisis.
[4016/98]
Dick Spring
Question:
110
Mr. Spring
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if the Government will respond to the appeal for Irian Jaya issued on 26 January 1998 by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
[4017/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.
As I made clear in my reply to Deputy Connaughton's question on the subject of Irian Jaya-West Papua of 11 December 1997, the Government is open to considering allocating further grants to meet the needs of the most vulnerable and to promote food security throughout the island in the coming months. In this context, I assure the Deputy that I have received the recent appeal issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross for Irian Jaya-West Papua, as well as a number of other appeals for humanitarian funding for the island as a whole. I have asked officials dealing with emergency aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs to examine these appeals closely and recommend what actions the Government can take that will best support the needs of the population on the island of New Guinea.
The Government approved a grant of £50,000 in December 1997 to support the provision of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations on the island of New Guinea. The entire island, which is shared by Irian Jaya-West Papua and Papua New Guinea, had been severely affected by the El Nino phenomenon. No rainfall had occurred on the island since April 1997 and UN estimates indicated that at least 500,000 throughout the island were suffering from malnutrition.
This grant was channelled through the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs, UNDHA, and was equally divided between those most in need in Irian Jaya-West Papua and Papua New Guinea. The UNDHA has been providing relief supplies, medical assistance and transport to the worst affected areas using light aircraft to distribute supplies to remote areas. Distribution is being carried out by UN personnel on the ground and I understand that the operation, which is also financed by the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Norway, has been going well.
As is usual with all emergency grants made to international organisations and to non-governmental institutions, officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs remain in close contact with the officials in the implementing institution and receive regular informal updates on the progress of the project. I also expect to receive a full financial and narrative report following completion of the project, which is scheduled to finish at the end of April 1998.
