§ Mr. Bowen Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who represented Her Majesty's Government at the international fund for agricultural development's governing body meeting in Rome last week; what policy objectives were pursued; and if he will make a statement on the outcome.
§ Mr. RaisonThe United Kingdom was represented by its alternate governor, Mr. K. G. W. Frost, who is head of international financial institutions department in the Overseas Development administration.
The delegation was instructed to work for the completion of IFAD's second replenishment negotiations; to approve the arrangements bringing into effect the new special programme for African countries suffering from drought and desertification; and to approve IFAD's programme of work and budget for 1986.
All these aims were achieved. We welcome in particular the conclusion of the replenishment, which provides some measure of certainty for the future of the fund although at a relatively modest level.
The provisional total of category I (US$274 million) and category II (US$186 million) contributions to the second replenishment in US$460 million. This figure could be increased slightly during the coming two weeks if the category II countries were able to provide more money. In this case category I's contribution would rise in the same proportion. As in the first replenishment, the British share of the category I total is 4.79 per cent. The cost to the aid programme, if the category's total does not rise, is likely to be £9.23 million, spread over several years.