HC Deb 07 April 2003 vol 403 c41W
Mr. Kidney

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to international efforts to overcome the threat of starvation in Zimbabwe.[106764]

Clare Short

I have contacted all OECD Development Ministers to ask them to do more to help Zimbabwe and have increased the UK's contribution, which now stands at £51 million since September 2001. As a part of this, DFID has provided £18.3 million in support of the World Food Programme's emergency operation, which is currently feeding almost five million Zimbabweans. My Department has also been active in supporting the wider work of the UN, assisting in their analysis of needs, the design of relief efforts, and helping support UN logistical and management capacity.

Mr. Kidney

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to(a) the Government and (b) non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe to combat the threat of mass starvation. [106762]

Clare Short

Donors work through the UN and non-governmental channels in Zimbabwe, and do not support the Government's programme which is not operated transparently.

DFID has provided £3.75m for NGO feeding direct NGO programmes since September 2001, which are currently providing supplementary food to more than 1.5 million vulnerable Zimbabweans per day. We have also provided £5m through NGOs for seeds and fertilizer to help increase food production this year.

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