Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international relief agencies in order to coordinate assistance to the region affected by Cyclone Idai.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK is working closely with international partners to address immediate needs across the region. On 21st March, the Secretary of State for International Development spoke with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and called on him to ensure that the UN mobilises quickly and effectively. Ministers are in touch with other key international figures to ensure an effective response. UK staff on the ground are working closely with relief agencies to coordinate the response, and senior officials are in regular communication with their counterparts across the international community.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai of the logistical needs of (1) Malawi, (2) Mozambique, and (3) Zimbabwe; and in respect of each, what has been their response.
Answered by Lord Bates
Cyclone Idai has devastated parts of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. There have so far been over 700 fatalities and the UN estimates that up to 2.6m people may be affected. Mozambique has been the hardest-hit with almost 17,400 houses destroyed and up to 350,000 people at risk due to rising water levels. The UK Government is providing up to £22 million in support, including £4 million to match the UK public’s generous contributions to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeal. In Mozambique, UKaid is supporting the World Food Programme to feed 400,000 people and we have sent life-saving relief supplies including tents and thousands of shelter kits. In Malawi, we are helping 140,000 people to feed themselves and in Zimbabwe we are providing essential health supplies, hygiene kits and child protection support. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to provide further support if needed.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of sanctions on Zimbabwe on the relief effort in response to Cyclone Idai.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK’s focus in responding to Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe is on providing essential health supplies, hygiene kits and child protection support. We continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to provide further support as needed. The EU retains sanctions against former President Robert Mugabe, his wife Grace Mugabe, and the company Zimbabwe Defence Industries. We consider that sanctions have been an appropriate response to the political violence of the last 15 years. They do no damage to the wider economy or to the people of Zimbabwe and have no impact on the UK’s relief effort.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide humanitarian assistance to (1) Cameroonian refugees, (2) internally displaced persons, and (3) other refugees in Cameroon.
Answered by Lord Bates
We are providing at least £5 million in humanitarian assistance this year to refugees and internally displaced persons as a result of the Lake Chad Basin crisis, and to refugees from the Central African Republic in Cameroon. This includes basic support in nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods. 21,291 Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria are being supported by UNHCR, which DFID supports through their core budget. Additionally, the EU Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations is providing €300,000, which the UK also contributes to.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of disturbances in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon on the development of that country.
Answered by Lord Bates
The disturbances in the Anglophone region were the focus of conversations between the Foreign Secretary and the Cameroonian Prime Minister Yang at the recent Commonwealth Conference, and the Minister for Africa’s visit in February, where she visited the Anglophone region. There is currently no official assessment of the longer-term development impact of unrest in the Anglophone region but the UN have registered 21,291 refugees in Nigeria and estimate there are 150,000 internally displaced people.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what budgetary allocation have they made in relation to the post hurricane reconstruction of (1) Dominica, and (2) Antigua.
Answered by Lord Bates
Her Majesty’s Government has allocated a total of £32 million to support Dominica; £7 million for emergency relief and early recovery, and £25 million of which is for post hurricane reconstruction. HMG has allocated £3 million to Antigua and Barbuda for post hurricane reconstruction.
Both islands will also benefit from regional climate resilience and disaster preparedness planning of £8 million which will be allocated through consultation with partners and the Caribbean Governments.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provisions of the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index as additional criteria to determine the classification of developing countries for the purpose of meeting needs (1) in the aftermath of natural disasters, and (2) generally.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK continues to support the current methodology for assessing the graduation of countries from Official Development Assistance (ODA) where countries and territories cease to be ODA-eligible when they reach High Income Status, including for British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States. However, following the recent devastation of small islands in the Caribbean, we are pleased that agreement was reached at the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s (OECD-DAC) High Level Meeting in October to establish a process which could allow previous recipients of ODA to receive short-term ODA support in the event of catastrophic humanitarian crises. We also welcome the OECD-DAC’s agreement on the need to create a new mechanism to allow countries to receive ODA when their income falls below the High Income threshold, for example as a result of a catastrophic natural disaster or other crisis. Officials have considered the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index and take this into account when looking at the issue of vulnerability. We agree that some states face particular vulnerabilities and the Government will continue to work with the international community to ensure that vulnerable states receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in relation to the OECD's Development Assistance Committee redesignating British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States so that they would be eligible for Overseas Development Aid.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK continues to support the current methodology for assessing the graduation of countries from Official Development Assistance (ODA) where countries and territories cease to be ODA-eligible when they reach High Income Status, including for British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States. However, following the recent devastation of small islands in the Caribbean, we are pleased that agreement was reached at the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s (OECD-DAC) High Level Meeting in October to establish a process which could allow previous recipients of ODA to receive short-term ODA support in the event of catastrophic humanitarian crises. We also welcome the OECD-DAC’s agreement on the need to create a new mechanism to allow countries to receive ODA when their income falls below the High Income threshold, for example as a result of a catastrophic natural disaster or other crisis. Officials have considered the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index and take this into account when looking at the issue of vulnerability. We agree that some states face particular vulnerabilities and the Government will continue to work with the international community to ensure that vulnerable states receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of hurricane damage to the infrastructure of (1) Dominica, and (2) Antigua.
Answered by Lord Bates
A comprehensive Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) of the hurricane damage has recently been completed in both Dominica and in Antigua and Barbuda. These were jointly undertaken by the World Bank, EU, UN Development Programme and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction. HMG’s support for reconstruction in both countries will follow the recommendations made in those needs assessments.
The detailed figures of the impact on infrastructure from the PDNA are below, all figures have been converted from US $:
Dominica | |||
Infrastructure Sector | Damages (£ M) | Losses (£ M) | Needs (£ M) |
Transport | 136 | 40 | 225 |
Electricity | 25 | 25 | 60 |
Water and Sanitation | 18 | 30 | 42 |
Telecommunication | 36 | 6 | 36 |
Airports and Port | 14 | 2 | 17 |
Total | 229 | 103 | 380 |
Antigua and Barbuda | |||
Infrastructure Sector | Damages (£) | Losses (£) | Needs (£) |
Transport | 12,059,488 | 237,588 | 21,676,863 |
Electricity | 2,464,876 | 193,278 | 6,154,170 |
Water and Sanitation | 217,746 | 0 | 259,152 |
Telecommunication | 523,962 | 27,601 | 523,951 |
Total | 15,266,072 | 458,467 | 28,614,136 |