Written question asked by Heidi Alexander (Labour) on Monday, 16 January 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 18 January 2012. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 23 January 2012 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

East Africa: Droughts

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had on the UK's contribution to the 2012 Consolidated Appeals for Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti.

Answer: The Department for International Development's support to the consolidated appeals this year will build on that provided in 2011. Since July, British aid in Somalia has contributed to lifting 500,000 people out of famine and has directly reached 130,000 people with food, treated 15,000 starving children, vaccinated over a million children against measles and provided seeds, fertiliser and vaccinations for livestock benefiting over 75,000 farmers and herders. In Kenya, since July British aid has supported the distribution of food to prevent malnutrition to 260,000 children and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers in drought affected areas; and in the Dadaab refugee camps provided access to clean water for 90,000 people and sanitation for 66,000.My Department is currently finalising planned early contributions towards the 2012 Somalia Consolidated Appeal, which I expect to announce shortly. We are also designing new multi-year nutrition and refugee programmes in Kenya, which are in line with the Kenya Consolidated Appeal.

Secondary information