§ 9. Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the impact of conflict in Uganda on the Department's work there. [151171]
Mr. Gareth ThomasDFID's programme in Uganda, as elsewhere, focuses on poverty reduction. As a result of the conflict, levels of poverty in the north remain high, and have not been falling as elsewhere in the country. 63 per cent. of households in the north live below the poverty line compared with 38 per cent. nationally. The conflict severely hinders long-term development activities. The UK programme in the north has focused on humanitarian support and interventions to help resolve the conflict. We have provided £7.3 million of humanitarian assistance over the last 12 months. We will be discussing the conflict with President Museveni during his UK visit this week.