§ Mr. EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy will be published. [132739]
§ Mr. HainI have arranged for copies of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy's annual report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.
The Foundation has continued its crucial work in building and strengthening democracy overseas during the last 12 months. In 1999–2000 the Foundation managed 656 projects in almost 60 countries working with political parties, the media, trade unions, local government, legal organisations and human rights, civil society and women's groups.
The Foundation received a grant-in-aid of £4 million from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, a further £460,734 of earmarked funds for specific projects and £121,669 from corporate supporters and the National Lottery Charities Board.
Most of the Foundation's activities were in its priority areas which are Central and Eastern Europe; the Commonwealth of Independent States and Anglophone Africa. The Foundation has also carried out important projects in Asia and the Middle East.
In addition to its core projects, the Foundation has provided timely and effective responses to the need for technical assistance in the Balkans, especially in Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia, to take forward work on political and civic development.