HL Deb 07 August 1975 vol 363 cc1992-3WA
Lord MERRIVALE asked Her Majesty's Government

In which development Schemes the Commonwealth Development Corporation has invested, or is proposing to invest, its funds (since the signing of the Lomé Convention) in Member countries of the "Economic Community of West African States"; namely:

  1. (a) The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria;
    2. 1993
  2. (b) Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Mali, Upper Volta, Niger and Togo; and
  3. (c) Guinea-Bissau and Liberia;
and to what extent Her Majesty's Government support the political and economic aims of the ECOWAS Treaty.

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

Since the signing of the Lomé Convention the Commonwealth Development Corporation has increased its investment in the Savannah Sugar Company in Nigeria. Other investment possibilities within the group of countries at (a) are under investigation, but no decision on them has yet been taken by the Corporation. There have been no developments in respect of the countries at (b) and (c). Within these groups, the Corporation operates only in the Ivory Coast. Her Majesty's Government welcome the ECOWAS Treaty which gives a tangible expression of the desire of the countries concerned to co-operate closely with one another for their mutual benefit. Our technical assistance will be, in the widest sense, available.