HC Deb 23 June 1994 vol 245 c268W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the droughts and famines in each of the affected countries of east Africa; and how the Overseas Development Administration and the European Union are reacting to these needs.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The World Food Programme estimates that up to 20 million people will be at risk from droughts and famine in 1994. Over 2.8 million tonnes of food aid will be needed. Britain has responded promptly. Since January, we have committed nearly 130,000 tonnes of food, including 46,500 tonnes announced by my noble Friend Baroness Chalker, the Minister for Overseas Development, on 22 June and £15 million of non-food emergency assistance. Figures for individual countries are as follows:

Food Aid (Metric Tonnes)
Needs United Kingdom EC1
Eritrea 190,000 14,475
Ethiopia 955,000 45,000 264,000
Kenya 719,000 20,000 26,000
Somalia 343,000 800
Sudan 575,000 40,000 80,000
Tanzania 27,000 10,100
Uganda 24,000 68
Totals 2,833,000 129,643 370,800
1Excluding bilateral pledges from member states.

Forward to