Horn of Africa: British Aid (Hansard, 20 February 1992)

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (The Earl of Caithness)
My Lords, on 13th February we pledged bilateral food and non-food aid worth around £23 million in response to the recent United Nations appeal for the Horn of Africa. Britain will also meet its share of the European Community's contribution to the appeal, which is likely to be substantial.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. I am sure he appreciates that the British public have demonstrated incredible spontaneous support for the people in need in Africa and that they will therefore be looking to the Government to do everything possible. Many of us are worried about access to those in need. Can the Minister say something about the pursuance and fulfilment of the Security Council resolution of 23rd January on the situation in Somalia? What is being done about the thousands of refugees in Sudan who are reportedly being moved away from Khartoum into the desert, where there are no facilities whatever? What is being done to handle the law and order situation in Ethiopia?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I know that the House would like to join me in paying tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Judd, for the work that he did in his previous capacity in focusing everybody's attention on this important area. As he says, the three countries have enormous problems. We have already given aid to Kenya to help that country with the Somalian refugees, and we are watching the situation carefully.

§ Lord Swinfen
My Lords, have the Government given any thought to the suggestion made by the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Cheshire, in his maiden speech that we should supply troops to guard the United Nations food convoys in that part of the world? If no consideration has been given to that, why not?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I can assure my noble friend that consideration has been given to that matter. All issues raised in the House are looked at carefully. We have not come to a conclusion because sufficient food supplies are getting through. There are 450,000 tonnes in the pipeline to April. The point of the appeal, in which the noble Lord, Lord Judd, was so involved, is to ensure that supplies continue from April onwards.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, while the £23 million that the British have contributed is to be applauded, have any other countries or any other part of the United Nations made a similar contribution or provided similar help? If the Minister cannot tell me now, will he write and let me know how our contribution is being administered in the Horn of Africa?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, our contribution of about £23 million equates to 40 million dollars. We understand that Sweden has pledged 20 million dollars; Canada, between 20 and 25 million dollars; and the Netherlands, 5 million dollars. Characteristically, we are again among the first to respond and by the largest amount.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, perhaps I may say how very much we on these Benches appreciate the tributes that the Minister paid to my noble friend Lord Judd. Is it not a fact, however, that the Secretary-General has asked for funds amounting to 621.6 million dollars for his emergency fund? What funds have been pledged by donors and what funds have been produced towards that emergency fund?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I listed the pledges made in my answer to the noble Lord, Lord Molloy. The appeal was set up for a six-month period. As there is sufficient food in the pipeline to cover until the end of March, the appeal was made to ensure that the pipeline continues thereafter. That is why the pledges are being given. We hope that they will soon be increased and translated into payments.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, I am sorry to have to intervene again. However, is it not a fact that some of the funds are needed not only for food, but for medicines, and that the United Nations Children's Fund has asked for 60 million dollars simply for food? What pledges have been made towards that fund, and what donations have already taken place?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I do not know about other countries, but we have made other pledges also and payments of over £8 million for the sort of things that the noble Baroness, Lady Ewart-Biggs, mentioned, including for seeds and food.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, bearing in mind the grave political, economic and social situation in the Gulf, and the fact that the appeal is one of the first major initiatives of the new Secretary-General, cannot the Government be more positive and direct in what they are doing?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, as I said, we are among the first. Our pledge is twice that of any other country. Indeed, only three other countries have pledged.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, will the Minister say something about the British Government's attitude, through the United Nations, to the question of sovereignty? As my noble friend Lord Judd pointed out, one of the major difficulties is gaining access to the people, including the refugees, for whom the humanitarian aid—the food and other things—is meant. Are the British Government prepared, on the 1361 basis of a United Nations Security Council resolution, to override sovereignty in order to get the humanitarian aid through to those people?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, in certain circumstances where law and order have broken down, it is difficult to get the aid to the people who distribute it. I am sure that we should all like to pay tribute to the marvellous job that the non-governmental organisations are doing in difficult circumstances, especially in some parts of Somalia, where it is extremely difficult to get the food through.

§ Lord Shepherd
My Lords, in the light of the Minister's previous answer, does he accept that nobody is criticising Her Majesty's Government and all those who have given aid in this respect? I thought that the question was, "What are we doing in the European Community and the United Nations to bring greater assistance to that part of the world?"

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, we continue to play an active part in the Community and shall continue to work hard to ensure that other countries fulfil the same obligations that we have met.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, will the Minister answer my question about sovereignty?

Noble Lords
No.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, I am sure that, although we all appreciate the steps that the Government have taken, we are not complacent and believe that we should be doing as much as possible. It would be reassuring, however, to hear what the Government are doing to achieve maximum co-ordination and co-operation within the ambits of the United Nations and of the European Community? What are they doing to ensure that supplies get through to those in need? The NGOs and others are becoming disturbed about the fact that it is impossible to get access in countries such as Sudan and Somalia.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I agree that it is difficult to get access in certain parts of the Horn where law and order have broken down and where there is civil war. However, that is something on which we must work with the Secretary-General of the United Nations; it is not something that we can do on our own.