§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Chechnya; and if she will make a statement. [53058]
§ Clare ShortWe closely monitor the situation in the North Caucasus, both from our desk in London and through regular visits to Moscow.
According to research by the International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) food, clothing and shelter are the priority needs for internally displaced people(IDPs) and vulnerable persons in Chechnya. Water supply, reconstruction and education are also seen as important areas of need.
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Country Poorer (yes/no) 1998 1999 2000 2001 (a)Number of investments held South Asia — 85 75 71 71 Sub-Saharan Africa — 177 176 149 136 Poorer — 338 329 295 268 Total — 418 407 374 349 Bangladesh y 6 7 7 7 India y 44 35 30 30 Sri Lanka y 8 7 7 9 Pakistan y 26 25 24 22 Other South Asia y 1 1 3 3 Total South Asia — 85 75 71 71 Botswana n 6 5 2 1 Cameroon y 4 4 1 1 Cote D'Ivoire y 8 9 5 5 Esca Regional Fund (South Africa) y 1 1 1 1 Gambia y 1 1 1 1 Ghana y 16 16 14 11 Kenya y 18 18 16 15 Lesotho y 3 3 2 2 Liberia y 4 4 5 5 Malawi y 11 8 7 3 Mauritius n 7 3 5 5 Mozambique y 7 7 6 6 Namibia n 2 2 2 2 Nigeria y 3 3 4 4 Seychelles n 2 2 0 0 Sierra Leone y 3 3 3 2 South Africa n 9 14 14 20 Sudan y 1 1 1 1 Swaziland y 12 11 10 8 Tanzania y 15 17 15 14 Uganda y 11 10 8 6 Zambia y 15 16 16 13 Zimbabwe y 16 15 9 7 Other y 2 3 2 3 Total Sub-Saharan Africa — 177 176 149 136 Argentina n 0 0 2 2 Barbados n 1 2 2 2 Belize n 5 5 6 4 Bolivia y 4 4 5 4 British Virgin Islands n 1 2 4 4 Cayman Islands n 1 0 0 0 Costa Rica n 17 15 15 15 Cuba y 2 3 3 3 Dominica n 2 2 2 2 Dominican Republic y 8 9 11 11 Ecuador y 6 7 5 4 We continue to work with UN agencies and international NGOs to improve assessment of humanitarian needs and evaluation of impact. This includes funding through the UN Office of the Security Co-ordinator (UNSECOORD) and the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) (including part funding of a senior humanitarian specialist) in support of strengthened co-ordination and security for humanitarian agencies working in the North Caucasus, including Chechnya.