Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1985 > Committee on Cooperation with Developing Countries > Report No. 02 - Bilateral Aid Programme

APPENDIX 2

30 October, 1985.

Mr. G. Ansbro

Clerk

Joint Committee on Cooperation with

Developing Countries

Leinster House

Dublin 2

Dear Gary,

I refer to your letter of 27 September 1985 regarding the Bilateral Aid Programme (BAP).

It is envisaged that the greater part of the additional monies likely to be available to the BAP for the foreseeable future will be required to develop the existing programmes until they reach a level considered to be satisfactory in the case of countries designated as being priority countries for aid purposes. At present only one of the tour country programmes (Lesotho) could be considered to have reached the minimum satisfactory level; and all four programmes are small by international stands. Any funds not required for the further development of the country programmes will be required for other existing activities such as co-financing with non-Governmental organisations and international aid agencies.

The localization of projects, which necessarily proceeds at a slow pace, has the effect of reducing the level of expenditure on the particular projects concerned, although the overall country programmes of which those projects form a part may continue to require increased funding.

It is not possible at this stage to foresee when it might be possible to phase out aid to any of the countries concerned.

Yours sincerely,

Seán Donlon

Secretary