Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 3

Written Answers. - African Issues.

Liz McManus

Question:

23 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the special measures he favours being taken at European Union and Security Council levels to assist the people of Africa in view of their recent significant rebuffs at sporting and political levels by the international community. [22354/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Government is fully committed to supporting African efforts to achieve sustainable development, often in the face of the most difficult and challenging circumstances and will continue to work at EU and UN level to that end. African issues have always been prominent in Irish foreign policy, reflecting our earlier involvement at the United Nations in support of decolonisation and the ending of apartheid, and, more recently, our development co-operation, humanitarian and peace-keeping engagement.

The EU and the member states are, together, the largest development partner of African Governments. At the Africa – Europe Summit in Cairo in April, which was attended by the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, measures were agreed which will allow the EU to build up its strategic partnership with Africa to the same level as its partnerships with Asia, the Gulf countries and Latin America. The summit's common declaration and plan of action for future relations between the two regions stressed our mutual determination to strengthen the political, economic and cultural understanding through the creation of a constructive dialogue on economic, political, social and development issues. Other measures agreed by the summit included the need to define policies to allow African countries to derive the greatest possible benefit from the liberalisation of the world economy, a reassertion of the commitment to cut world poverty by half by 2015, an agreement to consider further the question of indebtedness and commitments by African countries to promote and respect human rights.

In June 2000, the EU and the 77 African Caribbean and Pacific States signed a new ACP-EU Agreement covering political relations, trade and development co-operation. This new agreement provides for 13.5 billion euros in development assistance over the next seven years, the majority of which will go to the poorest African States.

Ireland is also fully supportive of efforts by the UN Secretary-General to renew the focus on Africa at the United Nations. At last month's Millennium Summit, Heads of State and Government of the UN resolved to support the consolidation of democracy in Africa and to assist Africans in their struggle for lasting peace, poverty eradication and sustainable development, thereby bringing Africa into the mainstream of the world economy.

African issues are a significant part of the current Security Council. Ireland, through our longstanding support for political and economic development in Africa, will bring an informed view to the Council. The fundamental challenge facing the African continent is the eradication of poverty. In this regard the Millennium Summit also reaffirmed the solemn commitment to reducing by half the number of people across the globe living in extreme poverty, earning less than $1 per day, by half by 2015.

The Government also welcomes the increased attention being given to Africa by the Security Council and we look forward to playing an active role in future discussions on the Council. We are particularly concerned about the AIDS pandemic which is a fundamental threat to future African development. The Council has already discussed this issue and we will ensure that this focus will continue.

Question No. 24 taken with Question No. 10.