§ 89. Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the famine relief effort in Ethiopia.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe international community has responded promptly and generously to the renewed threat of famine in Ethiopia and estimated food aid requirements for 1988 have been largely met by pledges made. For our part, we have committed over £45 million in famine relief assistance since the beginning of 1987, including the cost of some 95,000 tonnes of bilateral food aid and our share of European Community assistance. The relief effort is,374W however, being seriously hampered by increased military activity in Eritrea and Tigray. As a result the number of people, particularly in Tigray, who can be reached by current relief operations has been substantially reduced. The situation is further aggravated by the Ethiopian Government's continued refusal to permit full resumption of the relief activities of the voluntary agencies and the ICRC.