§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department have taken since the end of the war in Iraq to restore(a) drinking water supplies, (b) sewerage infrastructure and (c) electricity supplies. [166870]
§ Hilary BennThe Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in conjunction with the various Iraqi Ministries, the UN, bilateral donors and civil society have been engaged in significant efforts that have led to improvements in drinking water, sewerage and electricity provision across the whole of Iraq. The CPA website www.cpa-iraq.org gives weekly updates on developments in electricity supply and other essential services.
The UK is contributing £17.2 million to the Emergency Infrastructure Programme in southern Iraq, which is focused on reinstating essential infrastructure in the power, fuel and water sectors. DFID has also provided £500,000 to CARE UK for their Integrated Water and Health Relief Project, which has improved the quantity and quality of drinking water to about 100,000 people in Najaf Governorate, 170 km south of Baghdad. More information on CARE UK's work in Iraq can be found at: www.careinternational.org.uk
Particularly significant in the water, sewerage and electricity sectors have been the efforts of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDID), and UNICEF. Details of their interventions can be found on the following websites:
- www.usaid-gov/iraq
- www.iq.undp.org
- www.unicef.org/index.html
The UN and World Bank undertook a comprehensive needs assessment in conjunction with the Iraqi authorities, which formed the basis for the pledges offered by the international community at the Madrid conference. The international community is now seeking to take forward this further reconstruction effort and the International Reconstruction Financing 1084W Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) has been established. The UK has made an early contribution to the IRFFI of £70 million.