HC Deb 15 May 2002 vol 385 cc686-7W
12. Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to strengthening political systems in developing countries. [54749]

Clare Short

Most poor countries have adopted formal democratic institutions. We work in many countries to support their efforts to strengthen these institutions so that all their people, especially the poor, have effective representation and participation. To this end we have supported the development of the better working of formal political institutions: electoral processes, parliaments, civil society, the media; and political panties on a non-partisan basis.

In supporting these areas we often work through international organisations such as the Commonwealth and independent bodies such as the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

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