Frances Fitzgerald
Question:83 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the role of the EU in East Timor. [12850/00]
Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the UN Transition Administration in East Timor, UNTAET, which was established by UN Security Council Resolution 1272 on 25 October 1999, will administer the territory for an indefinite period, probably two or three years. It has a comprehensive mandate to provide security and maintain law and order throughout the territory of East Timor, to establish an effective administration, to assist in the development of civil and social services, to ensure the co-ordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and development assistance, to support capacity building for self-government and to assist in the establishment of conditions for sustainable development.
In November of last year a joint needs assessment mission, consisting of the UN agencies, World Bank and IMF, European Commission, some major donors and representatives of the East Timorese people, completed an assessment visit to East Timor. Their findings provided the basis for a donor pledging conference that took place in December. At that meeting the European Commission pledged new funding for reconstruction in East Timor of at least 60 million euro over the next three years. These funds were in addition to 35 million euro given for humanitarian aid which was extended for the duration of the emergency and channeled through ECHO – the humanitarian office of the European Commission. The vast majority of European Commission funding is channelled through a common trust fund which allows for a flexible allocation of funds.
As the Deputy knows Ireland and other individual EU member states are individually making contributions to the UN mission UNTAET.