Launch of the European Year of Development

Launch of the 2015 European Year of Development

2015 will be a turning point in the world’s development – Minister Sherlock

The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion, and North South Co-operation, Sherlock, TD, joined President Michael D. Higgins  to launch the European Year of Development in Ireland. 

2015 was designated as the European Year of Development to inform citizens about development cooperation and to encourage citizens to become more engaged in development issues, such as tackling poverty, inequality, social injustice and climate change.

The European Year of Development coincides with several important agreements on poverty, development, and climate change taking place in 2015.

Speaking at the launch in Dublin Castle, Minister Sherlock said:

“This year will mark a turning point in the world’s development, when we will make crucial decisions on how to tackle the biggest challenges facing us all: poverty and hunger, climate change, population growth, inequality and security.

“The European Year of Development is an important opportunity for us to reflect on our place in the world, and how we contribute to ensuring that world is a fairer and more sustainable place for us all to live.

“A new global framework to guide our global development efforts will be agreed by world leaders in New York in September; while in December in Paris, world leaders will meet to agree a new international agreement to curb carbon emissions. Both of these major international agreements will affect every citizen around the world. Ensuring that our development is sustainable is an investment in all our futures as major global challenges such as climate change, migration and disease do not respect borders.”

Negotiations will conclude in September on a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be adopted by a summit of world leaders at the UN in New York. The Goals will be negotiated and agreed by the world’s 193 countries, and cover every area relevant to human well-being and development – including poverty and hunger, health and education, decent employment and environmental degradation.

In December, leaders will meet in Paris with the aim of adopting a legally-binding international agreement to tackle climate change, as a result of negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The agreement will outline targets and actions that nations will take to deal with the on-going effects of climate change.

Ireland is playing a key role in the SDG negotiations process, following our appointment with Kenya as co-chairs of the negotiations.

Commenting on Ireland’s important role in securing these agreements, Minister Sherlock said:

“Ireland can act as an honest broker and trusted partner in these talks. It is testament to Ireland’s standing internationally, to our proud record of development, promoting human rights, to our long-standing participation in peacekeeping across the world and to our diplomacy. We will work day and night to secure the best possible outcome for all.” 

ENDS

Press Office

22 January 2015 

Notes to editors:

• Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas assistance programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information see www.irishaid.ie
• 2015 was designated as the European Year for Development by the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council in April 2014. It is the first time that the EU has dedicated a thematic year to an “external” policy area.
• The aims of the EU Year of Development (EYD2015) are:

a. To inform European Union citizens about the EU’s and the Member States’ development cooperation.
b. To foster direct involvement, critical thinking and active interest of EU citizens and stakeholders in development cooperation.
c. To raise awareness of the benefits of EU development cooperation.

• Dóchas – an umbrella group for Irish development NGOs - was nominated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to coordinate the Irish Action Plan for the European Year of Development.
• The focus of the European Year of Development in Ireland is: “To establish a new development narrative in Ireland that shifts beyond aid and charity to address issues of universality, solidarity, engagement, individual and collective responsibility, and global solidarity”.

Bliain Forbartha na hEorpa Seolta

Bliain chinniúnach a bheidh sa bhliain 2015 maidir le forbairt an domhain - an tAire Sherlock

Bhí an tAire Stáit d'Fhorbairt, Tionscnamh Trádála, agus Comhar Thuaidh Theas, Seán Sherlock, TD, i dteannta an Uachtaráin Micheál D. Ó hUigín inniu chun Bliain Forbartha na hEorpa in Éirinn a sheoladh. 

Ainmníodh 2015 mar Bhliain Forbartha na hEorpa chun saoránaigh a chur ar an eolas faoi chomhoibriú forbartha agus chun saoránaigh a spreagadh chun go mbeidís níos gníomhaí ina bplé le saincheisteanna forbartha, mar shampla dul i ngleic le bochtanas, éagothroime, éagóir shóisialta agus athrú aeráide.

Tagann Bliain Forbartha na hEorpa i gcomhthráth le roinnt comhaontuithe tábhachtacha eile a bheidh ar bun in 2015, a dhíreoidh ar bhochtanas, ar fhorbairt agus ar athrú aeráide.

Ag labhairt ag an seoladh i gCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, dúirt an tAire Sherlock:

''Bliain chinniúnach a bheidh sa bhliain seo maidir le forbairt an domhain. Déanfaimid cinntí tábhachtacha maidir leis na bealaí inar féidir linn dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin is mó atá le sárú againn uilig: bochtanas agus ocras, athrú aeráide, fás an daonra, éagothroime agus cúrsaí slándála.

Tugann Bliain Forbartha na hEorpa deis thábhachtach dúinn machnamh a dhéanamh orainn féin mar shaoránaigh de chuid an domhain, agus leis an bpáirt a nglacaimid féin lena chinntiú go mbeidh an domhan ina áit níos cothroime agus níos inbhuanaithe inar féidir linn go léir maireachtáil.

''Déanfaidh ceannairí an domhain creat nua domhanda a chomhaontú i Nua-Eabhrac i Meán Fómhair, creat a threoróidh ár n-iarrachtaí forbartha domhanda. I bPáras i mí na Nollag tiocfaidh ceannairí an domhain le chéile chun comhaontú idirnáisiúnta a chruthú maidir le hastuithe carbóin a laghdú. Beidh tionchar ag an dá chomhaontú mhóra seo ar gach saoránach ar fud na cruinne. Is infheistíocht inár dtodhchaí féin é a chinntiú go bhfuil ár bhforbairt inbhuanaithe, mar gur beag beann atá ag na dúshláin mhóra dhomhanda mar athrú aeráide, imirce agus galair ar theorainneacha.''

Tiocfaidh deireadh le cainteanna ar Spriocanna Forbartha Inbhuanaithe (SDG-anna) i Meán Fómhair, a bheidh le glacadh ag cruinniú mullaigh de cheannairí an domhain ag na Náisiúin Aontaithe i Nua-Eabhrac. Déanfaidh na 193 thír ar domhan na Spriocanna a phlé agus a chomhaontú, agus clúdóidh siad gach réimse a bhaineann le folláine agus forbairt an duine - lena n-áirítear bochtanas agus ocras, sláinte agus oideachas, fostaíocht chuibhiúil agus díghrádú comhshaoil.

Faoi Nollaig, tiocfaidh ceannairí le chéile i bPáras, leis an aidhm go nglacfar le comhaontú idirnáisiúnta le ceangal dlí chun dul i ngleic le hathrú aeráide, mar thoradh ar idirbheartaíocht a rinneadh faoi Chomhdháil Chreat na Náisiún Aontaithe ar Athrú Aeráide. Déanfaidh an comhaontú spriocanna agus gníomhaíochtaí a leagan síos a mbainfidh náisiúin úsáid astu chun dul i ngleic le hiarmhairtí leanúnacha athrú aeráide.

Tá ról ceannais ag Éirinn sa phróiseas cainteanna SDG, mar gheall gur ceapadh sinne agus an Chéinia mar chomhchathaoirligh ar na cainteanna.

Ag tagairt do ról lárnach na hÉireann ar na comhaontuithe seo a dhaingniú dúirt an tAire Sherlock:

''Is féidir le hÉire feidhmiú mar idirghabhálaí ionraic agus mar chomhpháirtí iontaofa sna cainteanna seo. Is fianaise é an méid seo ar sheasamh idirnáisiúnta na hÉireann, ar ár stair forbartha bhródúil, ag cur chun cinn cearta daonna, ar ár rannpháirtíocht fhadseasmhach i gcúrsaí síochánaíochta ar fud an domhain agus ar ár dtaidhleoireacht. Oibreoimid oíche agus lá chun an toradh is fearr agus is féidir a fháil do chách.'' 

CRÍOCH

An Phreasoifig

22 Eanáir 2015 

Nótaí d'eagarthóirí

• Is é Cúnamh Éireann clár cúnaimh thar lear an Rialtais. Déanann Rannán Comhoibriú um Fhorbairt na Roinne Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála bainistiú ar an gclár. Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais féach www.irishaid.ie
• Ainmníodh 2015 mar Bhliain Forbartha na hEorpa ag Comhairle Gnóthaí Eachtracha an Aontais Eorpaigh in Aibreán 2014. Is é seo an chéad uair a bhfuil bliain théamach ainmnithe ag an AE do réimse beartais ''seachtrach''.
• Is iad cuspóirí Bhliain Forbartha an Aontais Eorpaigh (EYD2015):

a. Saoránaigh an Aontais Eorpaigh a chur ar an eolas faoi chomhoibriú forbartha an Aontais Eorpaigh agus na mBallstát.  b. Rannpháirteacht dhíreach, smaointeoireacht chriticiúil agus suim ghníomhach i gcomhoibriú forbartha a chothú i saoránaigh agus i bpáirtithe leasmhara na hEorpa.  c. Feasacht a ardú maidir leis na buntáistí a bhaineann le comhoibriú forbartha an Aontais Eorpaigh.

• Dóchas - scáthghrúpa d'eagraíochtaí neamhrialtasacha na hÉireann - a bhí ainmnithe ag an Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála chun Plean Gníomhaíochta na hÉireann do Bhliain Forbartha na hEorpa a chomhordú.
• Tá Bliain Forbartha na hEorpa in Éirinn dírithe ar: ''Insint nua maidir le forbairt a bhunú in Éirinn a théann níos faide ná cúnamh agus carthanacht chun díriú ar shaincheisteanna mar uilíocht, dlúthpháirtíocht, rannpháirtíocht, freagracht aonair agus chomhchoiteann agus dlúthpháirtíocht dhomhanda.