As a long-standing development partner of Ethiopia, Ireland greatly regrets the narrowing of the political space for opposition parties, the press and civil society, which we have observed in the country since 2005. We believe that the strengthening of democracy is a key element in the economic development process, and we regularly communicate this to our Ethiopian partners.
As a vice-president of the now-defunct Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), Ms. Birtukan Medeksa was among the opposition activists who were imprisoned in the aftermath of the 2005 elections in Ethiopia and the ensuing violence. Almost all of these detainees were pardoned and released in 2007, on condition that they admitted to errors in the post-election period. However, in December 2008, Birtukan Medeksa, now the leader of a new opposition party called Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), was re-arrested. It is believed that the Government of Ethiopia considers that statements which she made about the 2007 pardon process violated the terms of her pardon. I am concerned about the implications of the re-arrest of such a prominent opposition figure, particularly in view of the fact that national elections are due to take place next year. I have asked our Embassy in Addis Ababa to continue to monitor the situation closely with a view to clarifying the circumstances of Ms. Medeksa's re-arrest.
Our concerns about the curtailment of democratic rights go beyond one individual. Ireland and the EU argued last year against certain provisions of the Charities and Societies Law, and we were deeply disappointed when, in January 2009, it was passed in its current form. We are concerned about the potential impact on NGOs and we will continue to make our views known, as we monitor how the law is implemented. Ireland has also been to the fore in voicing concerns about the troubled Ogaden region of Ethiopia, where we believe that efforts to restore order should take better account of the need to minimise the impact of the conflict on ordinary people. Forthright expression of our views, where necessary, is an essential element of our partnership with Ethiopia.
As regards development assistance, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world — last year, it was ranked 169th out of 177 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index. It has been one of Ireland's Programme Countries since 1994. It is a difficult environment in which to work, although it has made remarkable progress in recent years. I believe that Irish funding in Ethiopia makes a real and tangible difference to the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable people there.
Irish Aid provided over €47 million to development programmes in Ethiopia in 2008, of which approximately €23 million was allocated to a social ‘safety net' programme targeting the poorest Ethiopians, €5 million to addressing the humanitarian crisis and €1.8 million on HIV/AIDS programmes. In addition NGOs including Concern, GOAL, Trócaire and Self Help Development International received over €10 million to support their development efforts in Ethiopia.
Our aid programmes are carefully monitored by our Embassy and are externally evaluated in accordance with established practice. Where assistance is channelled through Government ministries and regional authorities, it is ring-fenced for spending on basic needs programmes such as the building of schools, the training of health workers and teacher training. I believe it is right to remain engaged in Ethiopia, where food security will remain a vital issue in the period ahead, and to do so in close cooperation with our donor partners. The reality is that every day our support is saving lives, helping to rebuild livelihoods and giving hope to some of the most vulnerable people in the world.