Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having to leave the meeting. I welcome the members of the delegation and thank them for their interesting submission. I have looked at Africa for many years and corruption is endemic in most African countries. Christian Aid has experience of working in Africa but I have my own analysis of how the colonisation of Africa has influenced everything that happens on the continent. Colonisation reflects the lines that were drawn for countries rather than recognise the tribal aspects of Africa. Some countries in Africa do better than others in dealing with corruption but it is still endemic. Has an analysis been carried out on a long-term approach to dealing with the problem?

We have heard about the level of corruption.

I had known of the corruption in Angola but I did not think it was as serious as they outlined.

Christian Aid spoke about the humanitarian aspects of this. Perhaps they would give us a graphic account of deaths from hunger, children in difficulties, abuse of women, abuse of children and exploitation of children who come into the cities. I have seen this elsewhere in Africa where, because of starvation, people gravitate towards the cities. I have seen it in Ethiopia, which is dealing with it much better. They are dealing as best they can with it. Is that happening and what services are the international community giving to those people, especially, the children, who gravitate towards the cities because of the starvation in rural areas?