§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2002,Official Report, column 62W, on the River Congo, what preventive measures are being taken to reduce the impact of a flooding of the river. [88148]
§ Clare ShortDFID funds a number of humanitarian agencies in DRC that specialise in interventions to minimise the effects of man made and natural disasters. Specifically, the United Nations Office for the 907W Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs operates an emergency response programme to which DFID has contributed £500,000. The International Committee of the Red Cross is also mandated to respond to provide humanitarian assistance, should urgent needs arise. DFID is in the process of finalising a contribution of £2.5 million to the ICRC for DRC. We have also provided support to an OXFAM water and sanitation programme in Kinshasa. Effective intervention in this sector will be critical if significant flooding does occur.