---

Dept for International Development

Answer

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. [172295] Hilary Benn: In spite of continuing security problems, there is no widespread humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Iraqi Ministries, United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, NGOs and Iraqi citizens have been working together to assist people affected by the recent fighting in Fallujah, and have made preparations for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance, if required, in other parts of Iraq. An Emergency Co- ordination Group has been established to ensure the effective coordination of emergency assistance in Iraq. Its membership includes UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs. US$32 billion in grants and soft loans was pledged for the reconstruction of Iraq at the Madrid Donors' Conference in October last year. DFID has committed £278 million to humanitarian and reconstruction work in Iraq since the beginning of 2003. Over the last year, Iraqi Ministries, together with the Coalition Provisional Authority and aid agencies, have made significant progress in restoring essential services, maintaining the Public Distribution System for food rations, reopening hospitals and schools and beginning the process of longer-term reconstruction.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

172295; 421 c500-1W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Development aid International assistance Humanitarian aid Iraq Reconstruction

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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