Famine And Debt Relief In Ethiopia

EDM number 534 in 2002-03, proposed by Caroline Spelman on 16/01/2003.

That this House notes with serious concern the fact that 11 million Ethiopians are set to face severe food shortages in 2003; further notes that the food shortages in Ethiopia are on a similar scale to those of southern Africa; notes that Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world; further notes that Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world; further notes that half of all Ethiopian children under five suffer malnutrition, and one in 10 children die before their fifth birthday; notes that Ethiopia is a heavily indebted poor country; further notes that between 1998 and 2001, Ethiopia paid a total of US $536 million to her international creditors in debt repayments; believes Ethiopia needs deeper and more effective debt relief; and calls on the Government to urge Ethiopia's international creditors immediately to suspend Ethiopia's debt repayments in order to focus on the fight against famine.

This motion has been signed by a total of 65 MPs.