Middle East: Global Conflict Prevention Pool

Mr. Hague
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual budget of the Middle East and North Africa strategy of the UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool is, broken down by expenditure on each country involved.

Margaret Beckett
The budget for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) for financial year (FY) 2007-08 is £3 million. The following table details expenditure on each country in the proposed allocations for MENA GCPP.

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|                                               |Amount (£)|
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|Budget                                         |3 million |
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|                                               |          |
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|Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories|1,400,000 |
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|Lebanon                                        |1,085,000 |
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|Libya                                          |265,000   |
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|Jordan                                         |50,000    |
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|Yemen                                          |200,000   |
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|Total allocation                               |3,000,000 |
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Mr. Hague
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the role of the Government’s Global Conflict Prevention Pool is in relation to the Middle East Peace Process; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett
Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) mechanisms and resources are used to support UK policy towards the Middle East Peace Process. GCPP funds projects in the region that aim to address drivers of conflict in order to enhance the prospect of a sustainable two-state solution. Examples include:

a project which has helped move the route of the separation barrier closer to the green line;

a project which aims to raise awareness of planning problems in Palestinian villages in Israeli controlled areas of the West Bank and take action to tackle this problem;

a project identifying systematic failures in due process in the Israeli military courts and attempting to correct them through legal and public advocacy;

work to facilitate freedom of movement for Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through legal and administrative action and promoting access to the Israeli judicial system; and

providing assistance to close protection for Palestinian President Abbas.