§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Defence Secretary regarding safeguards on military aid to Ethiopia. [92862]
§ Clare ShortOur Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia includes a commitment to consideration of how we might help Ethiopia reform its security sector. The first step towards this will be a joint DFID/FCO/MOD scoping mission in early April 2003.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the impact of Ethiopia's debt burden on poverty levels in Ethiopia. [92863]
§ Clare ShortEthiopia qualified for interim debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative at decision point in November 2001. In the current Ethiopian financial year, this will reduce external debt service payments by 54 per cent. and allow an increase in poverty-targeted expenditure of around 1.3 per cent. of GDP. Ethiopia has now completed its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, called "Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Programme". 747W This sets out the policy action framework not only for spending the savings from debt relief, but also for allocating all other aid and Government revenue, so that they have the greatest impact on poverty reduction.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of human rights violations by(a) the Ethiopian Government and (b) the Ethiopian military. [92864]
§ Clare ShortWe take allegations of human rights abuses in Ethiopia seriously, regularly raising concerns both bilaterally and through the EU. The Ethiopian Government set out plans in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to make progress in these areas. Our response is set out in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of(a) the freedom of the press and (b) the independence of the judiciary in Ethiopia. [92865]
§ Clare ShortThe Ethiopian Government set out plans in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to make progress in these areas. Our response is set out in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of levels of political and ethnic violence in Ethiopia. [92866]
§ Clare ShortWe have covered these issues in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia, which will be available on the DFID website in February 2003.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of Ethiopia's total debt burden will be relieved if Ethiopia completes the HIPC Initiative; and when she expects Ethiopia to complete the HIPC Initiative. [92867]
§ Clare ShortWe expect Ethiopia to reach completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative in 2004, at which stage, it will receive an irrevocable reduction in its debt stock. Total debt relief is expected to be US$1.9 billion in nominal terms, which is equivalent to 47 per cent. of the net present value of debt service. The British Government are concerned that no country should exit the HIPC process with an unsustainable level of debt. Where necessary, we therefore support the provision of additional debt relief at completion point—so called 'topping up'—for countries such as Ethiopia which, since decision point, have suffered shocks which reduce their export earnings and ability to service their debts.