§ Mr. HeathTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on progress reforming the European Commission Aid Programme. [77717]
§ Clare ShortMy Department is focusing its efforts on two broad objectives: improving the overall effectiveness of European Community development assistance and increasing its poverty focus.
We welcome the positive steps that have been taken to reform EC development assistance in the past few years. These are beginning to show results in some areas, but significant improvements are still needed. We are pressing the EC to pursue its reform efforts vigorously in order to implement the November 2000 EC Development Policy, which for the first time makes poverty reduction the central objective of EC development programmes. Reform needs to produce speedier delivery, better impact and more capacity for policy dialogue in the field. Harmonising and simplifying the EC's cumbersome administrative and financial procedures is also a priority, along with work to establish a more coherent policy framework for EC aid.
My Department is also working for agreement that a much greater share of EC aid should be allocated to low income countries where it will have the greatest impact on poverty reduction. In 2000, only 38 per cent. of EC aid was spent in low-income countries compared to 70 per cent. in 1990. This is far too low and indicates that EC aid is having a much less impact than it should on reducing poverty and contributing to building stability and prosperity worldwide.