Ethiopia and Sudan (Hansard, 13 May 1985)

§ 39. Mr. Tony Lloyd
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give his most up-to-date estimate of aggregate food aid needed for Ethiopia and Sudan for 1985.

§ Mr. Raison
The best estimates available are that Ethiopia will require 1.5 million tonnes and Sudan 1.4 million tonnes of cereals food aid during 1985. Most of this has been delivered or pledged. In response to requests by various Britishvoluntary agencies, I am pleased to announced further assistance totalling over £2 million for victims of the famine in Ethiopia and the Sudan: about half to each. It covers a variety of purposes, including the transport of food, supplementary food, seeds and tools.

§ Mr. Lloyd
I welcome the Minister's response, but will he confirm that reports are coming out of Ethiopia that there are still massive difficulties in distributing food aid? Will he also confirm that the British Government still regard the provision of lorries as development assistance and therefore will not provide that help, which means that the aid that is given is not as effective as it should be in helping those who are in desperate need?

§ Mr. Raison
That is a misapprehension. There are great difficulties in operating emergency relief in Ethiopia. Some difficulties arise partly from the civil war; and others are attributable to many other factors. We are doing our best and contributing a great deal. There will be difficulties that will continue into the long term. The most fruitful approach for us will be through the European Community and the World Bank. I am sure that something useful can be worked out.

§ Mr. Maclennan
Does the Minister recognise that the railway in southern Sudan and—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman has tabled question No. 40, which seems to be directed to the same subject.

§ Mr. Maclennan
I am grateful to you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I was on the same issue.
Does the Minister accept that there is an urgent need for spare parts and considerable capital investment for the railway in southern Sudan and for transport by road across rough territory in Ethiopia? Are the Government prepared to listen to representations from the aid agencies and to make money available to help them?

§ Mr. Raison
I told the House that additional money has been made available for exactly those purposes. We have consistently tried to help with supplies, spares, and so on, in the transport sector, and we shall continue to do so. For the railway system, especially in western Sudan, we have provided an expert, who has put forward ideas about how to improve the flow of food to the west of the country.