Africa: Food Aid (Hansard, 2 July 1991)

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (The Earl of Caithness)
My Lords, in addition to the substantial multilateral and bilateral aid we have given, on 9th June we and the German Government launched a joint initiative to improve and support the way the United Nations responds to 899 humanitarian disasters and emergencies including those in Africa. On 29th June the European Council endorsed our ideas.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his answer. Does he agree that there is desperate urgency in a situation where the world programme shows that up to 30 million people in Africa face starvation? Perhaps the Minister will answer two questions. First, will he state the amount of food pledged by Her Majesty's Government and the EC, and how much of that food aid has been delivered and distributed? In view of the need for co-ordination of responses from non-governmental organisations, donor governments and the UN, why are Her Majesty's Government opposing the re-establishment of the Office for Emergency Operations in Africa? As the noble Earl knows, it was set up in 1984 and did a very good job. It was withdrawn in 1986 on the basis that it would be re-established should the need arise. Does the Minister agree that the need now arises?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, since last September, in response to the present crisis, the UK has provided £122 million, including our contributions to the Community actions. That includes 220,000 tonnes of food. Almost 180,000 tonnes of that has been directed to the Horn of Africa where we are the second largest bilateral food aid donor after the United States. If other countries were to follow our example, perhaps the terrible situation to which the noble Baroness refers would be alleviated a great deal more quickly. In response to the noble Baroness's second point, as I said in the debate on Africa, we do not rule out the revival of the emergency operations unit in Africa, but we must avoid duplication.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, is it not the case that the Office for Emergency Operations in Africa, to which my noble friend refers, did a first class job in 1984–85 during the crisis there? Some 30 million men, women and children in Africa are on the verge of starvation. Is there not the strongest possible case for re-establishing the office for emergency operations? Will the noble Earl give an assurance to the House that he will speak to his right honourable friend so that Her Majesty's Government can bring immediate pressure to re-establish the office? That is essential if those people's lives are to be saved. Such numbers represent over half the population of Britain with a problem far beyond anything that we in this country have experienced.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition that the Office for Emergency Operations worked well for co-ordination in 1984–86. The noble Lord and the Government are also in agreement that we need to improve co-ordination to get supplies and aid out to Africa. What is in question is whether the Office for Emergency Operations is the right vehicle, given the initiative that my right honourable friend has already launched.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, does my noble friend accept that emergency famine relief is only one half of the equation? The other half is to encourage people in these countries to grow their own food. Will my noble friend inform the House what proportion of overseas aid, both unilaterally and bilaterally through the EC, goes towards that purpose?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, since 1982 the total British aid to Africa has amounted to £4.5 billion. That is a substantial sum of money. About 25 per cent. of the UK bilateral aid to Africa goes to agriculture and related activities.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, does the Minister agree that notwithstanding the endeavours of Her Majesty's Government, the people of this country are seeing in newspapers and on television probably the most horrific scenes that they have witnessed in their entire lives? Since Question Time began, approximately 1,000 children have starved to death in Africa. Therefore is it not time that our Government, who have done a great deal, should make it their top priority within the EC and the United Nations to ensure that the rest of the world supports us in our endeavours to end the horror of people starving at the rate of thousands per day? When that is overcome, will they carry on their endeavours to ensure that it never happens again?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, we are at one with the noble Lord in wishing to see a speedy solution to this difficult problem. We are the second largest bilateral food aid donor to the Horn of Africa. If other countries followed our example, the solution would be arrived at much quicker.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, will the Minister say whether food supplies can get through to the southern Sudan, which is one of the areas affected, and whether co-operation is forthcoming from the Khartoum Government?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, the noble Lord raises an important point. It is all very well wishing to give food; but unless one can deliver the aid, one cannot implement one's wishes. There are certain difficulties in some parts of Africa.

§ Lord Mowbray and Stourton
My Lords, can my noble friend assure the House that certain difficulties are not caused by this country trying to bring political pressure to bear on the Sudan? Is it not also true that although food sometimes arrives there, the distribution is extremely difficult for that country? It is far the largest country in the African continent.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I know that my noble friend has tabled a Question on this issue. I should hate to pre-empt him, although I should be happy to do so if the House would approve.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, will the Minister answer a question that I asked? Can he say how much of the food that has been pledged has been distributed? There is clearly a problem of slow delivery which is exacerbating the difficulties in the countries affected.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I do not have the precise breakdown for which the noble Baroness asks. I believe that I gave it in our debate on the subject, but I shall endeavour to ascertain the latest situation.