Vol. 558 No. 3
102 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if steps are being taken to appoint a full-time ambassador to Ethiopia; when he expects an appointment to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24142/02]
Changes in our diplomatic network, including the appointment of ambassadors, are reviewed by the Government on an ongoing basis taking all the relevant factors into consideration, including the availability of resources.
The Government has a long-standing commitment to development in Ethiopia which is reflected in our having a resident embassy in that country, whose work is focused overwhelmingly on development and on aid issues. The mission is headed by a chargé d'affaires. In 2001, €21.986 million was allocated to the bilateral aid programme for Ethiopia and €1.808 million was allocated to funding non-governmental organisations, NGOs.
