§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts are being made to ensure the speedy provision of aid through the World Food Programme to combat the recurrent food crisis in Ethiopia. [110709]
§ Clare ShortOur in-country advisers maintain close liaison with World Food Programme (WFP) staff in Ethiopia. We have contributed £19.3 million of aid for Ethiopia through WFP since January 2002, which includes food aid contributions of £15 million in December 2002 and £2 million in March 2003. We are currently satisfied with the speed at which aid has been delivered. For example, our March contribution will be delivered as food to those in need by mid-May.
We also have a global partnership with WFP, of which the main objective is to improve their institutional capacity worldwide for timely and effective humanitarian responses.