HC Deb 23 July 1985 vol 83 cc502-4W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amounts of long-term development aid supplied by the United Kingdom to Ethiopia over the last four years and projected levels for the next two years; how this compares with other EEC and other major world donors; and if he will further express these total figures as per capita figures, for Ethiopia, and per capita figures for donor countries, respectively.

Mr. Raison

The details of our bilateral long-term development aid to Ethiopia over the last four years are as follows:

£,000
1981 144
1982 106
1983 32
1984 170

These figures include project aid, technical co-operation and debt cancellation, but exclude disaster relief and aid channelled through the European Community, the world food programme and other multilateral agencies. We are aiming to spend about £500,000 this year, mainly on technical co-operation, and the level of future aid is currently under consideration.

Details of total net official development assistance, including per capita figures, to Ethiopia by the United Kingdom and other western donors, for 1980 to 1983, as reported to the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD are given below. The 1984 statistics are not yet available. Under the DAC reporting system, these statistics include food aid and emergency relief. Comparative figures for long-term development aid alone are not available.

Mr. Andrew F.Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the amount of grain that has arrived in Ethiopia from each developed country in the last six months; how far this is short of Ethiopia's needs; and in which month in the coming months each country's promised delivery is likely to arrive in Ethiopia.

January February March April May June
Assab 27,000 50,000 (80,000–147,000 range)
Massawa * * (30,000–60,000) range
Djibouti * * (15,000–46,000) range
* No accurate data available.

Mr. Andrew F.Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information there is as to the most recent estimates of the amount of grain that will arrive at the port of Assab in Ethiopia in each of the next eight weeks, and as to how much will be in store at the port in each of those weeks.

Mr. Raison

The latest information from the world food programme Africa task force secretariat is that on 14 July there were on the quay in Assab 76,000 tonnes of grain and offshore 61,000 tonnes (including 25,000 tonnes of commercially imported grain). A further 17,000 tonnes are expected in the week 14–20 July.

Shipping arrangements are made by donors in close consultation with the world food programme on a monthly basis; in July some 95,000 tonnes are scheduled with a similar amount for August depending on port capacity in Ethiopia.

Country
Belgium 4 including 2 for use by the International Committee for the Red Cross
Bulgaria 4 including 2 helicopters
France 1
Federal Republic of Germany 2
German Democratic Republic 4
Italy 2
Poland Red Cross helicopters—numbers uncertain
Sweden 1 for use by International Committee for the Red Cross
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Possibly 36 including 24 helicopters, used mainly for the resettlement programme

Mr. Raison

Information on deliveries made and planned is contained on pages 40–41 of the latest status report number 12 dated 1 July 1985 from the world food programme's Africa task force secretariat. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

The total amount delivered in the first six months in 1985—some 650,000 tonnes—covered half the annual need estimated by the United Nations famine relief coordinator.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the present level of grain stock at Assab and Mossawa in Ethiopia and in Djibouti; and how these levels compare with stocks in each of the last six months.

Mr. Raison

Information from the world food programme Africa task force secretariat is that present levels are:

Tonnes (landed)
Assab 76,000
Massawa 25,000
Djibouti 31,000

stocks in each of the last six months were (tonnes):

The amount in store at port will depend on the level of offtake from the port which is currently 2,500 to 3,000 tonnes each day on average.

Mr. Hancock

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many aircraft have been supplied by the British Government and European Governments, respectively, for famine relief in Ethiopia during the last 12 months.

Mr. Raison

As well as the two RAF aircraft stationed in Ethiopia since November 1984, which have been supported by a weekly Hercules resupply flight, we have helped to pay for 12 other aircraft on special charter flights to move food and other relief supplies to and within Ethiopia.

According to the latest information, other European Governments have supplied aircraft at various times during the last 12 months as follows:

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