Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to extend the number of development aid programme countries. [38479/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's aid programme, Irish Aid, provides assistance to over ninety developing countries. Nine have been designated as Programme Countries, with a commitment to long term strategic assistance. These are Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Vietnam and Timor Leste. Support to Programme Countries is framed in agreed country strategies, with a comprehensive focus on poverty reduction through the implementation of each country's own national development plan.

The priorities for the aid programme remain as set out in the Government's White Paper on Irish Aid, which was published in 2006. It included a commitment to increase the number of key partner countries from eight to ten in the medium term. Malawi was designated Ireland's ninth Programme Country in 2007. An Embassy has been established in the capital, Lilongwe, and €10 million in programme assistance will be provided this year. This is focused on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people, with a strong emphasis on sustainable food security, nutrition and improvements in agriculture. The Government will also provide a further €5 million this year for the development work of Irish and other NGOs in Malawi.

Irish Aid has also undertaken preliminary work on the identification of a tenth Programme Country. Further analysis will be required before any decision is taken. In keeping with the conclusions of the White Paper, Africa, which includes 34 of the world's least developed countries, will remain the primary geographic focus for Ireland's development programme in the years ahead.