HC Deb 13 June 2003 vol 406 cc265-7W
Mr. Key

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what the Departments response has been to the appeal for funds to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement. [116623]

Hilary Benn

The first outbreak of the current epidemic dates back to September 2001. According to Medicins sans Frontieres (MSF)/Relief Web reporting in February 2003, since September 2001 there have been 19,000 cholera patients with more than 1,200 deaths. During the last months of 2002 the epidemic spread from Katanga to East Kasai province where MSF teams have treated more than 3,800 patients, of which 209 died. Since January 2003, local health authorities and MSF have seen an increase in cholera patients in Katanga province with some 300 cholera patients a week in the whole of the province. In East Kasai province the epidemic does not show any signs of stabilising with an average of 250 new patients a week. The health care system in the DRC lies largely in ruins. Cholera is becoming a reality in the two provinces.

In 2002–03 DFID spent £10.89 million on humanitarian assistance, including emergency health needs. We remain ready to respond to urgent humanitarian requests. We continue to work alongside our international partners to help change the situation through our support to the peace process in DRC. Only in this way will improved public health be made possible on a sustainable basis.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions the Department has had with the Governments of(a) Uganda and (b) Rwanda about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [116694]

Hilary Benn

DFID regularly discusses the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the governments of Uganda and Rwanda. This covers both establishing the Transitional National Government in Kinshasa and also the political and humanitarian crises in eastern DRC, at the moment, particularly in Ituri. We are encouraging both Governments to play a constructive role and to avoid tensions between themselves being played out in the DRC.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Department is taking to prevent ethnic conflict in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [116695]

Hilary Benn

The French government has agreed to the request from the UN Secretary General to lead an Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) to stabilise the situation in Bunia, in Ituri region. Given the importance of supporting the UNs initiative and the DRC peace process, the UK will be participating in the IEMF. We are in consultation with those involved, including the UN and French Defence Ministry, about the most appropriate and effective contribution we can make.

DFID has recently provided £1 million through the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for emergency humanitarian interventions in the DRC including Ituri. We are in regular contact with a number of international NGOs working in Ituri, and we stand ready to respond to their requests for further assistance to address urgent humanitarian needs in the region.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Department is taking to support UN Security Council Resolution 1445 on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [116696]

Hilary Benn

The UK has been working with our African, EU and UN partners to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the DRC. There has been progress towards the formation of a transitional national government (TNG) since agreement on its establishment was reached on 2 April in Sun City (South Africa). Most candidates for the TNG have now been selected, although there is presently a disagreement between the parties on the command structure for the new national Army which needs to be resolved urgently. We will continue to play an active part in the International Committee for Support to the Transition, in the DRC.

In addition: we have committed US$25 million to the US$330 million World Bank Multi-Country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (MDRP) for the Great Lakes region; we are assisting the UNs peacekeeping interventions through support to Radio Okapi, the MONUC linked radio station in the DRC; we have agreed to contribute to the proposed Interim Emergency Multinational Force for Ituri; we are funding a number of international agencies such as CAFOD, Christian Aid, International Alert and the Life and Peace Institute which are promoting community-based dialogue and womens involvement in the peace and reconciliation process; we are supporting UNICEFs role in developing a child demobilisation programme; and we closely monitor the humanitarian situation. Our total funding to DRC has increased in recent years. In 2001–02 our total funding was £5.56 million of which £5.18 million was in respect of humanitarian assistance; in 2002–03 our total funding was £12.9 million of which £10.89 million was in respect of humanitarian assistance. We stand ready to respond to urgent humanitarian needs.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what estimate the Department has made of the number of deaths due to ethnic conflict in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [116697]

Hilary Benn

There are no accurate figures for the number of deaths due to the conflict in north-east DRC. Red Cross teams have recovered over 300 bodies in Bunia town after the most recent outbreak in fighting there. This is almost certainly only a small fraction of the total number of deaths that have occurred.

The latest reliable figures quoted by the United Nations are for 2002, and for eastern DRC as a whole. These showed a mortality rate of 3.5 per 1000 per month.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what support the Department provides to Congolese refugees in Uganda. [116702]

Hilary Benn

DFID is monitoring the situation of Congolese refugees in Uganda very closely. Information from the border areas indicates that at present the number of refugees is less than originally reported. But we are in close contact with the Red Cross, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations in Uganda who are currently undertaking more detailed assessments of the needs.