Vol. 544 No. 5
97 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and location of countries in Africa to which the Government contributes under the overseas bilateral and multilateral development aid programmes; if it is intended to review these programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29430/01]
The Government provides bilateral development assistance in the form of country programmes operated by Ireland Aid to six countries in Africa, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Support for developing countries in Africa is also provided through development projects and programmes which are co-financed with Irish, international and indigenous non-governmental organisations – NGOs – and missionary groups. In addition, Ireland Aid provides support for the protection of human rights and the promotion of democratisation and good governance, as well as funding emergency and rehabilitation initiatives. Support under these various headings was directed to the following African countries during 2000: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Ireland Aid also provides assistance through a grant-in-aid to the Agency for Personal Service Overseas – APSO – for the funding and co-funding of qualified personnel. The following African countries benefited from such assistance during 2000: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In line with best practice in international development co-operation, the Government also channels funds to the developing countries of Africa through multilateral organisations, primarily through the United Nations system, for example, UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO, the European Union and the World Bank group. These organisations provide assistance to countries throughout the entire African continent. A detailed breakdown of projects and programmes supported by the Government through the Ireland Aid programme will be available in the Ireland Aid annual report for 2000 which will be published shortly.
Following the Taoiseach's announcement at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000 of substantially increased funding for development co-operation, the Government decided to establish a review of Ireland Aid in order to provide the best possible basis for the planned development of the programme. The review committee is expected to complete its work shortly and its report will be considered by the Government in preparation for the expansion of the Ireland Aid programme.
