§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the Government's plans for future collaboration with the European Community in the area of external development assistance. [160533]
§ Clare ShortI have approved a new Department for International Development institutional strategy paper for the European Community, which has been prepared in
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Country Date Purpose 2000 Malta 19–21 September Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting Czech Republic 23–28 September IMF/World bank Spring Meetings New York and Ottawa 12–13 October Discussion with heads of UN Funds and Programmes Discussions with Canadian International Development Agency Germany 9 November Discussion with the German Ministry for Development Corporation Nepal 20–22 November Discussion with Ministers and DFID Office India 23–25 November Discussion with Ministers and DFID Office 2001 Zimbabwe 22–24 January Discussion with DFID Office Malawi 24–26 January Discussions with Ministers and DFID Office Tanzania 19–21 February Discussions with Ministers and DFID Office Kenya 22 February Discussion With Ministers and DFID Office Australia, Fiji and Thailand 20–25 March Discussion with Australian officials Discussion with DFID Office Discussion with DFID Office Washington 27–30 April IMF/IBRD Spring Meetings consultation with the European Commission, other member states and civil society. The paper sets out a number of objectives for my Department's work with the EC over the next three to four years. These focus on four key impact areas: EC external assistance programmes which contribute effectively to the achievement of the international development targets; trade and other EC policies that help developing countries benefit from the global economy; integration of environmental issues for sustainable poverty reduction; and effective EC responses to crises, conflict and humanitarian disasters.
A copy of the institutional strategy paper is available in the Library of the House.