HC Deb 20 May 2003 vol 405 cc723-4W
Hugh Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with(a) disarmament, (b) demobilisation, (c) repatriation, (d) reintegration, (e) rehabilitation and (f) post-war reconstruction in the Great Lakes region of Africa. [113637]

Mr. Rammell

Latest information available indicates that some 1,500 non-Congolese former combatants have been through the UN's Disarmament, Demobilisation, Repatriation, Reintegration and Rehabilitation (DDRRR) programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo and returned to Rwanda.

In Rwanda there is a continuing demobilisation and reintegration programme for ex-combatants from both the Rwandan army and rebel groups.

The UK is playing an active part within the international community in planning for post-war reconstruction in the Great Lakes region. On DDRRR specifically, we have contributed US$25 million to a Trust Fund administered by the World bank for DDRRR in the Great Lakes region. The UK has also contributed £5.5 million to the Rwandan Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme.