§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects the £10 million assistance to Sierra Leone announced by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to be available to improve health facilities in the Kambia region; and if she will make a statement. [100063]
§ Mr. FoulkesThe Department for International Development (DFTD) is providing the Government of Sierra Leone with assistance for the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process for ex-combatants (comprising £3 million for logistical support and a £3.5 million contribution to the World Bank managed Multi Donor Trust Fund); over £1 million towards the cost of the Commonwealth Police Development Task Force; support to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Defence for security sector reform projects to help create a civilian structure to manage the armed forces (£1.7 million); the provision of a ferry boat (£0.9 million) and around £2.4 million for a range of non-governmental organisation activities to help the country cope with its humanitarian needs. DFID has also provided £5 million worth of emergency budget support.
118WA number of good governance projects, including assistance to help the country prepare for democratic elections in 2001, are presently under consideration. Also, a second trance of budget support to help Sierra Leone clear its debt arrears to the international finance institutions is likely to be approved before the end of the year.
DFID does not have any plans at present for funding projects in the health sector. The European Commission is preparing a programme but its implementation will depend upon obtaining access to outlying districts, especially those such as Kambia which is controlled by rebel (RUF) forces who have not yet entered DDr.