§ Norman LambTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy on whether(a) Malawi, (b) Mozambique and (c) Zambia should be granted an immediate suspension of their HIPC debt repayments. [76103]
§ Clare ShortMalawi, Mozambique and Zambia have all qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Malawi and Zambia have reached their Decision Point, and are already receiving debt relief. Mozambique has passed its Completion Point and is now receiving full debt relief. All three countries have completed a full poverty reduction strategy paper setting out how resources, including savings from debt relief, will be spent, thereby ensuring the maximum possible impact on poverty reduction. To address the current food security problem in the region, the UK has provided £26.5 million in humanitarian relief to these three countries since September 2001.