§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to make representations to the United Nations Secretary General concerning the re-establishment of an office for emergency operations in Africa.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydNo. We welcome the United Nations Secretary-General's announcement on 7 July that he is strengthening the Office of the Under Secretary-General dealing inter alia with relief operations in Africa in order to be able to respond effectively to emergencies. The Office is to enjoy the responsibilities and powers which fell to the Office for Emergency Operations in Africa until its closure in 1986. We are pursuing separately in the United Nations our initiative to support and improve the United Nations response to humanitarian emergencies.