§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her strategy is for delivering food to vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe when the Government of Zimbabwe obstructs food aid. [80574]
§ Clare ShortMy Department has provided over £38 million in humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe since September 2001. This has included food assistance through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and through non-governmental organisations. There has been relatively little obstruction in these operations that cover more than half of the country's 57 districts and continue to expand.
If obstruction does occur, we work closely in support of the United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator and the World Food Programme in engaging with the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that the obstruction is dealt with and the distribution of food resumed as quickly as possible. For example, Save the Children UK has now obtained written clearances to resume its feeding programme in Binga.