§ Vernon CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for international Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Malawi. [77700]
§ Clare ShortA recent assessment concluded that 2.2 million people will be in need of food assistance between September and December 2002, and that this will rise to 3¼million—or one third of the population in early 2003.
My Department is playing a leading role in a partnership with the Government of Malawi, and other donors to try to cope with the crisis. DFID has so far provided £30 million emergency assistance to Malawi.