Senator Conroy: The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question: (1) and (2) The following table provides details of Australia's assistance to the production sector in Burma in 2008-09, including aims and outcomes: Activity name DAC Sector code description Program Partner 2008-09 Estimated Burma- specific Expenses Activity Aim Activity Outcome (s) ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II* Trade policy and administration AusAID East Asia Regional Program ASEAN Secretariat $40,687 Strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat's (ASEC) capacity to effectively implement its mandate, through sound strategic planning and effective project management through four components: 1. ASEC Organisational Development; 2. Economic Integration Activities 3. Economic Research and Policy; 4. AADCP II Management Support Supported ASEAN to implement its economic integration policies and priorities in line with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and to effectively contri bute to the establishment of the AEC by 2015. The activity involved all member countries of ASEAN including Burmese officials who participated in rele vant training sessions. The activ ity did not involve direct funding to the Burmese authorities. ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) Economic Cooperation Support Program* Trade facilitation/ Regional trade agreements AusAID East Asia Regional Program ASEAN Secretariat $84,110 Operationalisation of AANZFTA; the progression of AANZFTA's built-in agenda; economic integration among the Parties; high business utilisation of AANZFTA opportunities and increased trade and investment flows. Enhanced ASEAN Secretariat capacity to support ASEAN FTA implementation. The activity involved all member countries of ASEAN including Burmese officials who participated in relevant training sessions. The activity did not involve direct funding to the Burmese authorities. Increasing Food Security And Farmer Livelihoods Through Enhanced Legume Cultivation In The Central Dry Zone Of Myanmar Food crop production Australian Centre for International Agricultral Research International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics $140,292 Deliver improved legume production systems for the Central Dry Zone Myanmar through: the use of locally appropriate varieties and their management, improved rhizobial strains, improved survival of rhizobia in storage, transport and during inoculation and improved guidelines on the need to inoculate. Training and extension on inoculation will highlight effects on productivity of the legume crop and the system. All the field activities with the three legume crops (groundnut, chickpea and pigeonpea) progressed well. Farmers participated in varietal selection (FPVS) program with over 60 field trials. Farmer participatory trials showed promising results. Through selection of appropriate varieties farmers achieved 30-50% higher productivity besides its resistance to diseases. Five in-country training workshops in legume production and Rhizobium inoculation technology were successfully completed in each project site with good progress in capacity building of Burmese staff. AusAID NGO Cooperation Program Agricultural development/livelihoods AusAID NGO Cooperation Program Australian NGOs $147,314 Build the capacity of civil society and improve livelihood security for communities in Burma. Communities have increased self sufficiency, improved skills in planning and budgeting and are empowered to take responsibility for basic improvements to their villages. WTO Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund* Trade facilitation WTO Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund World Trade Organisation $133,333 Support trade-related technical assistance for developing countries and least developed countries so that they can more effectively participate in, and benefit from, the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations. This assistance is primarily delivered as short term and module based training courses on issues such as trade policy development, trade negotiation skills and different technical aspects of negotiations such as formulation of tariff reductions and scheduling of commitments. Annually the activity provides around 500 Geneva — and field — based activities, training several thousand officials, representing some 30,000 participant days of training. The training involved seminars and workshops and was open to eligible WTO member states including Burma. $545,736 *Payments to WTO and the ASEAN Secretariat involved global and regional amounts which were nominally shared across relevant AusAID country programs, including the Burma program. (3) Yes. (4) The activities referred to in the question were designed carefully to ensure consistency with the Government's policy. The activities funded (see table above) involved: Support for the ASEAN Secretariat and World Trade Organisation and did not involve direct funding to the Burmese authorities. Support from ACIAR to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics to help Burmese farmers improve legume products. Support through the AusAID NGO Cooperation Program to Australian non government organisations delivering improved livelihood security and other related assistance to the people of Burma. (5) The timeframe for finalisation of the Burma country strategy is now the fourth quarter of 2011. The strategy is being developed by AusAID and involves consultation with other Australian Government agencies, the Australian Council for International Development, Australian non-government organisations with a presence in Burma, and other interested parties. The final strategy will be available on the AusAID website following approval by the Government. (6) Australia's strategic approach to aid in Burma: An interim statement was placed on the AusAID website in December 2010. It outlined Australia's proposed strategy for its aid program to Burma and noted that further consultations with key stakeholders would occur as the final strategy was prepared. Parties with an interest in Burma are welcome to send submissions to AusAID at: infoausaid@ausaid.gov.au.