§ Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if her Majesty's Government will liaise with the United Kingdom's partners in the European Community with a view to establishing an immediate "Freedom from Hunger" campaign to give all possible assistance to drought affected Africa.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Community and its member states are already in the forefront of those concerned with the short-term problem of drought and the longer-term causes of slow agricultural progress in Africa. They are supporting food strategies in Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda and Mali, and have just agreed an initial allocation of 59,000 tonnes of cereals to drought-stricken African countries as an emergency measure. In addition, the Community recently approved EDF emergency aid of some £11 million for the provision and distribution of food to selected African countries. The development of agriculture is already a priority sector in the regular EDF aid programmes.