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Dept for International Development

Answer

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) financial and (b) other assistance his Department (i) is providing and (ii) plans to provide to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement. [136860] Hilary Benn: So long as the transition process remains on track, DFID is planning a significant increase in support to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the period 2003-06, with a view to helping DRC make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. We have recently informed the Transitional National Government (TNG) of the DRC, and made public, a significant increase in our programme for DRC to £23 million for 2003-04, following the installation of the TNG this summer. The UK is working with other bilateral donors and multi-lateral agencies to ensure a coordinated response to the needs of the DRC. In 2002-03, in addition to £16 million in bilateral assistance, the UK contributed approximately £9 million through the EU, £26 million through the World Bank and £36 million through the UN agencies (including the United Nations Mission to DRC). Ensuring a successful transition process, including the successful embedding of the TNG, is crucial to our overall goal of ensuring peace and poverty reduction in the DRC and through that, the region as a whole. As a member of the Kinshasa-based International Committee for Support to the Transition, we are pressing for a well developed and shared understanding between donors and government of the transition process, as well as strong day-to-day co-ordination of donor support. We are providing direct support for the basic infrastructure needs of the Transition Institutions, which include the Offices of the President and the four Vice Presidents, Government, Parliament, Senate, Supreme Court and the five Democracy Support Commissions (Elections, Human Rights, Truth and Reconciliation, Anti-Corruption and Media). We have provided technical assistance for the drawing up of a national Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) strategy, and have offered similar support on the Security Sector Reform (SSR) strategy and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). We are also looking at providing some civil service capacity building support to the Government with UNDP and other donors. It is crucial for DRC and the wider Great Lakes region that the transition process remains on track. We are therefore making continued efforts to strengthen and consolidate peace, which include humanitarian support, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of ex- combatants, army, police and justice sector reform, and grassroots peace-building.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

136860; 413 c190-1W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Development aid International assistance Politics and government Peace Democratic Republic of the Congo

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk