PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
DROUGHT IN ETHIOPIA (5 April 2000)

That this House is gravely concerned about the impending famine in Ethiopia which has been caused by successive rain failures and climatic change; recognises the significant efforts made by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia since the overthrow of the Derg regime in 1991 to invest in development initiatives and to provide an early warning system to alert the international community to drought and food shortages; notes that the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission has been warning about drought and food shortages for the past four past four years and as recently as January 2000; regrets that the response by the international community to calls for aid to avert the current crisis have not been quick enough; and calls on the Government to increase the amount of aid being delivered to Ethiopia with immediate effect, and to urge other European Union governments to do the same.

Sponsored by:
Mr Ronnie Campbell (Labour)