Bernard J. Durkan
Question:275 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7425/03]
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid.
On 17 December 2002, I made a statement to the Dáil concerning the situation in Afghanistan. Since then, the progress towards a stable and democratic society in Afghanistan has continued. This process commenced with the signing of the Bonn agreement in December 2001. Working together, the Afghanistan transitional authority and the international community are working steadily towards the reconstruction of the social, economic and governmental infrastructure of the country.
Since 17 December, the important process of drafting a new constitution for Afghanistan has advanced. President Karzai is preparing a decree detailing the main elements of the new constitutional process, and a constitutional commission is to be established for this purpose. Thereafter, public consultations on the new constitution are scheduled to take place between April and June this year.
There has also been important progress on the preparation for the elections due to take place in June 2004. The UN Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, has already started organising the electoral process and co-ordinating the international assistance which has been offered.
A very welcome development in Afghanistan was the heavy fall of rain and snow last week. There is widespread hope there that this may mark the end of the severe drought which the people have endured for the past six years. The impact of the end of the drought cannot be underestimated as it would have a huge effect on the agricultural and humanitarian situation which has been particularly devastating for the rural population.
Other key developments under way include the reform of the national army and the creation of a national police force. Also on a positive note, on 10 February 2003 the leadership of the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, with which Irish troops continue to serve in Kabul, was transferred smoothly from Turkey to Germany and the Netherlands.
In light of this progress, it is unfortunate that the human rights and security situations in Afghanistan continue to raise concern. The Afghanistan poppy eradication programme has also met with opposition in the east of the country and there have been reports of attacks on the offices of some international organisations.
The Government remains strongly committed to the process of reconstruction in Afghanistan. Our ambassador in Tehran, who will also serve as ambassador to Afghanistan, presented his credentials in Kabul last week. He held a series of meetings on the ground, with the Afghan authorities, Irish non-governmental organisations in the field and international organisations, which will be important for our assessment of the ongoing needs of the Afghan people and in further informing where Ireland's contribution can best be made. Ireland has provided more than €14.2 million in funding to Afghanistan since 2000 which, I am pleased to report, makes us one of the leading international donors to Afghanistan on aper capita basis.
Together with our EU partners, Ireland remains committed to and will continue to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan to ensure that, with the help of the international community, it may emerge as a stable and peaceful democracy.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:276 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the situation in El Salvador; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7426/03]
El Salvador is the most densely populated country on the mainland of the Americas and is the most industrialised state in Central America. Located within a seismic zone, it is subject to earthquakes as well as other natural disasters.
More than ten years after the ending of the civil war in El Salvador, while there continues to be a high level of violent crime, political stability is now the norm, although in the run-up to the mid-term legislative elections on 16 March, there have been reports of violent incidents between followers of the two main political parties, the Alianza Republicana Nacionalista, Arena, and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberación Nacional, FMLN.
The Arena Government of President Francisco Flores is pursuing liberal economic policies which have yet to bring significant tangible benefits to the great majority of Salvadorans and have encountered considerable public opposition, including a strike by public health workers marked by some violent incidents in recent months.
The country is still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Mitch which hit Central America in October 1998. Growth prospects have also suffered a serious setback due to the drop in world coffee prices in recent times.
According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Eclac,, 50% of the El Salvador population live below the regional poverty line. If the Eclac target of reducing that figure to 30% by the year 2015 is to be met, a gross domestic product growth of 4.7% per annum would be required. This is an ambitious aspiration when it is noted that GDP growth in 2001 was 1.8%, 1.9% in 2002 and the forecast for 2003 is 2.2%.
El Salvador is a member of the Central American integration system, CAIS. At the 18th ministerial conference between the countries of CAIS and the EU in Madrid on 18 May 2002, the two sides agreed to negotiate a political and co-operation agreement in the context of their joint commitment: "to bolster the progress in the political, economic and social development of Central America and ensure that democratic processes are made irreversible, through the promotion and protection of human rights, transparency and the fight against corruption, the strengthening of the rule of law, good governance, access to justice and the role of civil society, which are factors that the two regions share and regard as crucial for their political and economic stability".
For its part, the Irish Government, through Ireland Aid, will continue to support the dedicated efforts of non-governmental organisations in El Salvador and throughout Central America. The following table sets out details of Ireland Aid's assistance in El Salvador.
Emergency and Rehabilitation Scheme
2001
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£253,000 to Trócaire for a housing reconstruction project;£150,000 to GOAL for a housing reconstruction project;£200,000 to IFRC for emergency assistance to earthquake victims;£150,000 to Trócaire for emergency assistance to earthquake victims;£75,000 to GOAL for emergency assistance to earthquake victims;£75,000 to Concern for emergency assistance to earthquake victims; |
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Total: £903,000 (€1,146,573.40). |
2002
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€217,000 to Trócaire for a housing rehabilitation project;€257,600 to Goal for a housing rehabilitation project; |
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Total: €474,600. |
NGO Co-Financing Scheme
2000
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£19,303 to FECORASAL (via APSO) for assistance to increase the production and profitability of milk producing co-operatives; |
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Total: £19,303 (€24,515). |
2001
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£66,532 to Trócaire for community education and local development project;£46,199 to Trócaire for alternative credit and community development programme; |
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Total: £88,783 (€112,731). |
2002
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€17,948 to ADES Santa Marta (via APSO) for institutional strengthening of the women's micro-credit initiative through the purchase and implementation of an effective micro-finance management information system;€103,392 to Trócaire for a literacy programme; |
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Total: €121,340. |