HC Deb 06 May 2003 vol 404 cc564-5W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's budget is for assistance in building democracy in post-conflict situations. [110341]

Mr. Rammell

[holding answer 1 May 2003]: Democracy building is not accounted for as a distinct FCO budget line. The FCO funds democracy building activity in a variety of ways. In 2003–04 the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (£74 million—managed jointly with MOD and DFID). Human Rights Project Fund (£7 million), and various bilateral programmes all contain elements of democracy building. In addition the FCO will fund the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (£4.1 million) which promotes democracy world-wide and the British Council which will spend £12.1 million on governance, which includes democracy building. Furthermore, the FCO works in partnership with DfID and MOD as part of the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool (£50 million) which seeks to address the peace and security challenges in Africa—a prerequisite for democracy. Some of the new Global Opportunities Fund will also be used for some democracy building work. Identifying the post conflict democracy building activities within these programmes could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

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