Liberia (Hansard, 25 May 2004)

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the(a) effectiveness and (b) efficiency of the UN disarmament programme in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. [175185]

§ Mr. Mullin
We welcome the steps taken by the United Nations Mission in Liberia to restart the Disarmament, Demobilisation. Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) programme in April, and the improved arrangements put in place following the problems that arose in December. 16,981 ex-combatants have been disarmed since the restart of the programme.
It was agreed, at the International Contact Group on Liberia meeting in London on 11 May, that there needed to be increased focus on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration aspects of DDRR and that there should be continuity in the process. We are concerned at the disturbances of 17 May. It is the responsibility of the factions represented in the National Transitional Government of Liberia to ensure there is full co-operation with the DDRR process.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions the UK Government has(a) pledged and (b) delivered to the UN disarmament programme in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. [175186]

§ Mr. Mullin
The UK has pledged a total of £6 million to the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) process, £4 million in 2004–05 and £2 million in 2005–06. So far £1 million has been transferred to the UN DDRR fund. We plan soon to decide how we commit the balance of funds for this financial year.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) he and (b) members of his Department last met the UN Secretary-General's special representative for Liberia to discuss (i) the UN disarmament programme in Liberia and (ii) the security situation in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. [175187]

§ Mr. Mullin
I attended the International Contact Group on Liberia meeting in London on 11 May, which was also attended by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Jaques Klein. SRSG Klein and I discussed a range of issues including the security situation and the disarmament programme.