Written question asked by Maria Fyfe (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 April 2001. It was answered by Clare Short (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 April 2001 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, If she will make a statement on development aid to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa. (Failed OPQ). - Inc figures.

Answer: Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on development aid to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa. [157654] Clare Short: HIV/AIDS is the single most important development challenge in Africa. The epidemic is undermining economic growth and fundamentally threatens social and economic development. DFID continues to give greatest priority to prevention, but we also support efforts to the personal, social and economic impact of illness and death caused by the disease. As national strategic plans to tackle the epidemic improve, we have begun to place our support within the framework of those plans. For example, we have recently approved significant HIV/AIDS-related programmes in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe totalling over £60 million, and a £20 million programme is being designed to support Mozambique. A new programme for South Africa is also planned for this year. We have also committed £7.5 million to a regional initiative on HIV/AIDS with the Southern Africa Development Community. Last month, I approved a £25 million programme under the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa to support the efforts of Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi and other countries to curtail the spread and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS.

Secondary information