§ 18. Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have agreed to adopt poverty relief or education programmes to qualify for debt relief and further aid. [111190]
§ Clare ShortThe revision to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative requires the 41 countries to develop and implement national poverty reduction strategies to qualify for debt relief. Other counties who access the most concessional resources of the IMF and World Bank will also need to produce these strategies, which will then form the basis for IMF and Bank lending operations. These strategies will be centred on achieving the international development targets, including the provision of universal primary education. The development of these strategies is now underway across the world.
§ 24. Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact of multilateral debt relief on development projects funded by her Department. [111196]
§ Clare ShortThe revision to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative requires countries to produce national poverty reduction strategies to qualify for their debt relief. These strategies will set out policies and priority actions for governments, and provide a framework for all donor assistance. Where they are credible, the international community should support them wholeheartedly. I welcome the decision of the World bank and the IMF to tie their assistance to these strategies.