Seymour Crawford
Ceist:33 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of assistance from Ireland to Uganda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13486/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 28 April 2005
Ceisteanna (54)
Freagraí scríofa
The Irish bilateral programme of development assistance to Uganda amounts to €32 million in 2005. This budget has remained fairly constant over the past three years.
Ireland's development programme in Uganda is focused on poverty reduction and on assisting the poorest section of the population. The UNDP human development index for 2004 puts Uganda at 146 out of 177 countries in the world. Life expectancy is 45 years. According to the OECD, Ugandans live on a per capita annual income of US$240, less than US$1 per day. Although Uganda has witnessed a steady decline in AIDS prevalence rates since the early 1990s, the disease remains a leading cause of death. Figures indicate that the pandemic has created 1.7 million AIDS orphans in the country.
There are, however, some encouraging signs. Arising from a committed partnership between the Government and donor countries, literacy rates have risen to 69% of the population. School enrolment is at 71% of children. Uganda is one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa that will meet the millennium development goal of having introduced universal primary education, UPE, by 2015.
The elements of the Irish programme in Uganda include support to the poverty action fund, a pooled arrangement involving a combined effort by a number of donor countries to improve services in key areas of human development, including health and education. Ireland also works in three districts in support of decentralisation and improved social services.
Agriculture is the engine of Uganda's economy and Ireland, with others, supports a broad programme for agricultural reform and gives particular help to the farm advisory service.
A key issue in the war on corruption and the improvement of respect for human rights is the performance in the justice, law and order sector, an area where Ireland has an extensive engagement in support of institutions of the judiciary, police, prisons, parliament and human rights bodies.
HIV-AIDS is a special focus for Ireland in Africa. In Uganda, Ireland supports prevention strategies for people free of the disease and assists those living with HIV-AIDS, as well as supporting the welfare of those orphaned by its impact.
In addition to our direct programme of assistance to Uganda, Ireland has provided funding of approximately €4.6 million in 2004 for emergency and development activities of the World Food Programme and non-governmental organisations, NGOs, such as Action Aid, Christian Aid, Concern, GOAL, Trócaire and missionary groups.