Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Malawi is the country in which we opened our most recent embassy under the Irish Aid project and to which we contribute a considerable amount of overseas development aid. In 2006, the Malawian president named a road after Robert Mugabe. My question is on the ethical framework of future Irish Aid spending. While its being untied aid is of great credit to us, should we put pressure on countries? For example, Malawi is a member of the Southern African Development Community, which we are trusting to monitor the election in Zimbabwe. My concern is whether the countries are sympathetic to Zimbabwe and whether there is a regional solution to such situations. The Zimbabwe situation is getting worse by the day. The whole of the European Union has entrusted itself to the SADC's hands. The example of Malawi proves there is a lack of impartiality under the headings in question. Will the Minister of State outline the issues he raised at the General Affairs and External Relations Council and any general Irish contribution made at the ministerial meeting yesterday?

See this speech in context