§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the United Nations about the planned joint assessment of the humanitarian 1141W situation in Ituri, referred to in his written answer of 22 May 2003 to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman). [148077]
§ Hilary BennThe UN joint assessment mission that took place last May found a critical humanitarian situation, a lack of security due to simmering tension between rival Hendu and Lema militias, and the town of Bunia nearly deserted. Aid groups were only able to assist a small number of people within Bunia, providing medical services to some 9,000 at camps concentrated around the local airport and 6,000 sheltering near the local UN compound. They had virtually no access to populations elsewhere in Ituri. My reply to the hon. Member of 19 January 2004,Official Report, column 931W, describes the improvements since that assessment.
We have regular discussions with the UN over the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including Ituri. In addition, a DFID humanitarian adviser visited the DRC in June, and following his assessment we agreed to fund a number of humanitarian activities in Ituri and North Kivu totalling over £1.8 million.