Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which world aid promised to African countries has not been delivered; the proposed plan to address outstanding matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31220/07]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In recent years, the international community has redoubled its efforts to address the serious challenges facing the continent of Africa. The adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 marked a watershed in uniting the international community around a single set of development objectives. Agreed targets include halving extreme poverty and providing universal primary education by 2015. The MDGs have resulted in renewed determination and pledges to meet the needs of the world's poorest countries, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), development assistance provided by the world's major bilateral donors has almost doubled — from less than US$54 billion in 2000 to around US$104 billion in 2006. During the same time period, support to Africa increased significantly and allocations to sub-Saharan Africa rose from US$11 billion to around US$28 billion. It is clear that Africa is receiving real and substantial increases in development assistance. These increases are set to continue. Ireland's own Official Development Assistance (ODA), the main geographical focus of which is on Africa, has increased from €250million in 2000, to over €800million in 2006.

More generally, there are strong indications that development assistance is having a positive effect in Africa. In its "Africa Development Indicators 2006" report, the World Bank noted that, in contrast to the 1990s, conflicts have declined and growth has improved. Improved growth rates will contribute to achievement of the MDGs. It also notes that, since the second half of the 1990s, many low income African countries, including Mozambique and Uganda, have lifted significant percentages of their citizens above the poverty line. Africa is at the heart of Ireland's programme of official development assistance and we have played an important role in the positive news emanating from both of these countries.

Development assistance is important to continued social and economic progress on the continent of Africa and it is imperative that donor nations continue to make progress towards the UN goal of 0.7% of GNP for ODA. However the governments of the developing nations of Africa also have a responsibility to promote good and accountable governance to ensure that poverty reduction is at the heart of their national development plans. It is the combination of external assistance from donors such as Ireland, allied with an internal commitment to poverty reduction by African nations, which will make a real and sustainable change for the better in the lives of the poor in Africa.