HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 cc657-8W
David Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has given in the last five years to(a) education and (b) health projects in Kiribati. [73974]

Clare Short

1. DFID has provided assistance in health and education to Kiribati in a number of different ways in the last 5 years. We:

  1. (a) have strengthened the management and teaching capacity of the Tarawa Technical Institute. (£713,000)
  2. (b) have provided advice on how best to strengthen the curriculum in primary schools, particularly in relation to English and the Kiribati language. (Visits from DFID advisers).
  3. (c) have supported the very successful local development theatre group Te Itibwerere. This has enabled them to act as a medium for delivering a wide range of development messages for people of all ages. Topics include HIV/AIDS awareness, health and sanitation, domestic violence and environmental issues. (£40,000).
  4. (d). are supporting Voluntary Services Overseas in a 2 year project (until March2004) to tackle HIV/AIDS and social education issues. The project will increase the impact and effectiveness of civil society and government responses to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (£144,000).

2. The UK is also contributing to EC programmes in Kiribati. 12 million euros were allocation for the period 1995–2001. Interventions include an allocation of 1.6 million euros for a national training programme to provide in-country training to meet Kiribati's manpower needs and skills requirements. A second phase of the programme, costing 6.4 million euros, will be implemented to provide outer island adults and

£ thousand
Name 2001/02 2000/01 1999/00 1998/99 1997/98 1996/97
UNFPA 24,213 40,050 15,000 13,120 11,500 10,000
WHO 41,348 75,110 20,300 8,091 12,099 11,619
UNICEF 28,000 2,269 29,143 10,461 9,241 13,847
UNAIDS 3,052 3,000 3,000 2,750 2,300 3,500
IPPF 4,500 5,500 5,500 5,500 5,850 7,850
MSI 2,554 5,132 4,945 4,235 3,103 3,202
Population Concern 476 - 649 114 400 806
IFH 329 508 773 1,151 1,175 762

Bilateral Aid by Health & Population Sector
£ thousand
Financial Aid (Excel ATP) Other Programmes
Project or Programme Sector Aid Programme Aid Technical Cooperation Grants and Other Aid in Kind Humanitarian Assistance Total DFID Programmes CDC Investments
Health and Population 1997/98 21,435 25 59,723 37,871 954 116,758 683
1998/99 27,826 0 59,475 46,846 551 134,698 0
1999/00 36,011 0 75,058 50,295 6,744 168,108 0
2000/01 53,799 0 78,819 50,080 1,509 184,217 6,145
2001/02 55,779 0 100,016 33,756 64 189,616 7,794
of which Reproductive Health Care 1997/98 897 0 9,661 8,757 0 19,315 0
1998/99 1,321 0 4,732 2,930 0 8,983 0

school leavers with the skills, needed for employment. This 5 year programme will also further strengthen the Tarawa Technical Institute and extend its activities to the outer islands. The health sector, particularly outer island primary health care, may become the focus for future cooperation between Kiribati and the EC under the Cotonou Agreement.

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