HC Deb 04 December 1984 vol 69 cc135-7W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how much grain has now been promised by each developed country to Ethiopia over the next 12 months; how far this is short of Ethiopia's needs; and also which month each country's promised delivery is likely to arrive in Ethiopia.

Mr. Raison

Recent commitments to Ethiopia as reported to a meeting of the food aid committee of the International Wheat Council in London on 29 November are set out in table I. These do not cover all commitments

Table I
Outstanding firm commitments of food aid to Ethiopia by country
Country Quantity
Australia 27,000 tonnes cereals
Belgium 8,000 tonnes cereals
Canada 80,000 tonnes cereals
EEC 60,000 tonnes cereals
Finland 11.5 million marks (£1.44 million) emergency—relief, including food
Netherlands 11,000 tonnes cereals
5,600 tonnes cereals plus additional aid from—$50 million pledge for
Japan Africa
Sweden 10,000 tonnes cereals
United Kingdom 21,500 tonnes cereals
United States 210,000 tonnes cereals
West Germany 14,000 tonnes cereals

Notes:

  1. 1. These commitments do not all cover the same periods.
  2. 2. The European Commission has indicated that it will propose deliveries of 10,000 tonnes a month to Ethiopia in 1985.

Table II
Arrivals of food aid in Ethiopia by month and country of origin (tonnes)
December January February March
World Food Programme 45,500 6,000 15,000 2,000
United States of America 16,000 46,000 23,000 2,500
European Economic Community 35,000 23,000 12,000
Canada 3,000 2,000
Australia 16,000
United Kingdom 6,500

likely to be made for 1985, since donors will review their contributions in the light of changing circumstances. In addition, the Indian Government announced a pledge of 100,000 tonnes of grain for Africa, also on 29 November. The table does not include pledges of food by voluntary organisations, for which statistics are not available.

We expect to receive this week a revised forecast for Ethiopia's food import needs from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, following a crop assessment mission. Some of these will be met by commercial purchases. Information on arrivals of food aid in Ethiopia from December to March, obtained from the World Food Programme on 27 November is set out in table II. It is provisional only, since donors frequently change arrangements at short notice.

December January February March
Netherlands 6,000 5,000
West Germany 6,000
France 1,000

Note:

These figures include only shipments notified to the World Food Programme by 27 November.

Arrivals do not in every case form part of the commitments shown in Table I. No firm information is available on shipments after March.