Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 57: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent visit to Ethiopia; if he will provide his assessment of the impact of Ireland's development aid programme in Ethiopia; if he will report on any examination of the recent allegations by international human rights NGOs regarding the impact of the villagisation programme on Ethiopian citizens in certain regions of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/12]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Ethiopia is one of nine Programme Countries for Ireland's aid programme, where we have a commitment to long-term strategic assistance. I visited Ethiopia in January to assess the impact of the programme on the lives of some of the poorest communities, and also to meet African leaders attending the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. I had the opportunity during my visit to see in operation a wide range of programmes and projects supported by Irish Aid, especially in the Tigray region, which was devastated by famine in the 1980s. I believe we can be satisfied that Ireland's assistance is making a strong contribution to the attainment of positive development results across a range of sectors. Tackling hunger, for example, is a priority area for the aid programme. Our support for the Productive Safety Net Programme, which provides cash or food in return for public works, is directly helping to protect up to 7.5 million people from hunger every year. Last year, this programme helped large numbers of vulnerable communities cope with the devastating impact of the drought that gripped the Horn of Africa. Crucially, as the public works carried out under the programme are focused on soil and water conservation, the effect is not only to save lives today, but to improve the productivity of land for the future. I was particularly impressed by the farmers I met, who told me that their yields have improved in quantity and value, making them more resilient to drought and other climatic shocks.

During my visit I also had the opportunity to meet Irish non-governmental organisations and a range of our Ethiopian partner organisations. I held discussions with representatives of Government and the opposition, and with civil society representatives. Among the issues which I raised in my conversation with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Berhane Gebre-Christos, was the Ethiopian Government's "villagisation" programme. This programme is seen by the Ethiopian Government as an important element in the development of some of the poorest regions of the country, enabling the effective delivery of basic services through the voluntary resettlement of vulnerable communities. However, the programme has recently been the subject of criticism by an international non-governmental organisation which alleges that human rights violations are taking place, including the forced movements of communities. I raised these allegations with the Minister and urged that they be investigated fully. He told me his Government would view as a very serious matter any evidence that local officials are implementing the programme in a manner that departs from its intended voluntary nature. Indeed, he stated that the previous regime under the Derg had operated forced "villagisation" schemes, that the Ethiopian people had suffered as a result and that his Government would never implement the policies of the Derg.

We take very seriously any allegations of human rights violations. We are continuing to monitor the implementation of the "villagisation" programme, through our Embassy in Addis Ababa and in consultation with other international donors. Officials from our Embassy, and from Embassies of other development partners, have visited some of the areas involved to assess the allegations. These visits have not substantiated the claims of forced movements of communities or of human rights violations. However, we have consistently expressed our concern to the Ethiopian Government at the scale and speed of the programme and will continue to follow the situation closely with the Government, local communities and civil society organisations. In Addis Ababa, I also attended the African Union Summit meeting where I had a series of bilateral meetings with a number of African Ministers. I lobbied Ministers on Ireland's candidature for membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council, for the 2013-15 period. I also briefed them on the Africa Strategy of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our intention to strengthen political, economic and development links with Africa and individual African countries.