Written question asked by Nicholas Winterton (Conservative) on Thursday, 5 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 July 2007. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 July 2007 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Zimbabwe

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

Answer: A DFID humanitarian adviser visited Zimbabwe in June 2007 to assess the humanitarian situation and to inform the UK’s response. Conditions in the country continue to deteriorate. The recent UN Food and Crop survey indicates that more than 3 million people will require food aid before the next harvest. Hyper-inflation is having a devastating impact on the poorest, particularly in urban areas. AIDS and declining public services are fuelling high mortality rates.Last year, DFID spent £33 million tackling hunger, vulnerability and HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. All DFID funding in Zimbabwe goes through UN agencies and NGOs.

Secondary information