§ Sir Alastair GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom's aid programme for Albania. [34855]
§ Clare ShortThe United Kingdom's bilateral developmental assistance to Albania has totalled over £5,700,000 since 1992/93. This sum includes bilateral emergency aid, but most of this funding has been disbursed through the Know How Fund in the form of technical assistance.
In 1996/97 the Know How Fund spent some £937,000 in assistance to support Rural Development, Good Government/Public Administration and the Health and Financial Sectors.
The disturbances in the first half of 1997 disrupted Know How Fund activity severely and the programme effectively restarted only in the autumn of last year. We expect to have spent around £400,000 in 1997/98.
More funds will be made available in 1998/99 with the focus continuing to be Health, Rural Development, Good Government and the Financial sector (with a particular emphasis on strengthening regulatory frameworks).
Economic and political transformation in Albania will take some time. We aim to support the reformist Government of Prime Minister Fatos Nano, as well as private organisations and NGOs, with carefully targeted support in key areas which will benefit the widest range of individuals and groups.
Over £292,000 of bilateral emergency aid to Albania in 1997/98 was in support of organisations providing relief following civil unrest. This was primarily disbursed through the International Committee of the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations.
We also remain in close contact with other multilateral donors to which we contribute, such as the World Bank and the European Union Phare programme, to influence, monitor and co-ordinate activities. Through our membership of the EU we contribute approximately 15 per cent. of the Phare programme in Albania.