The Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, T.D., today launched the Irish Aid Annual Report 2008, stressing the direct impact of Ireland’s aid programme on the positive concrete results for the poorest communities in Africa and elsewhere.  Minister Power emphasised his commitment to ensuring that the fight against global hunger remains a cornerstone of the aid programme.

Minister Power stated that the Irish people could be proud that their support is directly improving lives every day, ensuring that millions of families now eat more than one meal a day and have access to clean water and life-saving drugs.

“Ireland is internationally-recognised for our strong focus on poverty and hunger in Africa and for the results we are achieving. Last year, Irish Aid supported 13 million Ethiopians at risk of hunger and supplied fertilisers and seeds to more than 1.5 million families in Malawi to allow them to escape from hunger and poverty.”

“In Zambia – where more than one million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS – the Government’s aid programme is supporting the treatment of almost 150,000 people affected by the disease. In Lesotho, Irish support has helped 400 mothers to ensure that their unborn children do not contract HIV.”

“Over the last decade, Irish Aid has helped to increase the number of Ugandan children at primary school from two million to seven million. As the Irish people know, education is key to sustainable social and economic progress. These are just some of the real and tangible achievements of Ireland’s aid programme”, Minister Power said.

This year’s Annual Report focuses on the fight against global hunger, and on the contribution Ireland is making.

“The stark reality is that more than one billion people in the world are now suffering from hunger.  As detailed in our annual report, a rise in food prices means that 160 million people may eat less than one meal a day. Even before the onset of the international economic crisis, it was clear that the world was facing a hunger crisis, destroying the lives of many of the poorest people and communities.  Aid budgets internationally are now under pressure, including our own, but we remain determined to focus our efforts more effectively on this most basic of issues”.

“During my visits to Malawi, Ethiopia and Tanzania over the past year I have seen the scale of the challenge, but also the opportunities for real change. The effective and locally-driven responses which Irish Aid is pioneering are already having an enormous impact on the lives of millions of people,” he said.
“Last May, the OECD described Ireland’s aid programme as a ‘strong cutting-edge’ programme which is sharply-focused on the most vulnerable people in Africa.  It stated that Ireland is ‘a champion at making aid more effective”.
“Last September, the Taoiseach launched the report of the Government’s Hunger Task Force at the UN.  I have appointed a Special Envoy for Hunger. Eradicating hunger is a central component of Ireland’s aid programme and I have committed to spending 20% of our total budget on the fight against hunger. Ireland’s leadership on this issue is of course affected by our country’s experience of famine, but it is also clearly rooted in our analysis of the needs of the poorest communities in Africa and elsewhere today,” Minister Power said.

Minister Power emphasised that the reduction in the aid budget for 2009 had involved very difficult decisions.  They were part of the vital overall effort to stabilise the public finances, and to provide the basis for future expansion of the programme

“However, even after the reductions this year, we are still the sixth largest donor in the world in per capita terms. We have refocused our programme on eradicating hunger and poverty and are committed to making our aid even more effective. Ireland’s engagement in overseas development is as strong as ever.”

“We want to strengthen the effectiveness of our partnerships with Governments, international organisations and Irish NGOs including Concern, Goal and Trocaire. Almost one-quarter of our total overseas budget last year was channelled through NGOs, one of the highest proportions internationally. This reflects the value the Government places on their work and the results achieved when we work in a spirit of solidarity and partnership,” Minister Power said.

He also stressed the importance of the EU in the global development effort.

“The EU is the largest aid donor in the world and has been very active in responding to global crises. For example, last year the EU established a €1 billion food fund to respond to the global food security crisis. The Lisbon Treaty provides a stronger mandate for the Union in overseas development. As in many other policy areas, member states can have a greater impact when we act collectively.”

Note for the editor

• Irish Aid the Government’s programme for overseas development, is an integral part of the Department of Foreign Affairs
• In 2008, Ireland’s official development assistance reached €920 million, or 0.59% of GNI. In 2009, the projected spend is €696 million.

Among the key achievements of the Irish Aid programme in 2008 are:
• Irish Aid supported 13 million Ethiopians at risk of hunger
• Over 1.5 million Malawian families received fertiliser and seeds
• Irish Aid supported the provision of antiretroviral treatment to 124,200 people  in Mozambique
• The number of Zambian families surviving on one meal a day fell by almost a third.
• Irish Aid contributed to UN efforts to support 4.6 million Palestinian refugees.
• With Irish Aid’s support primary school enrolment in Tanzania increased from 57% in 2000 to 97% by 2007
• 27 Members of the Rapid Response Corps were deployed to 14 countries

Read the full report

For further information or to arrange an interview with Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, please contact Fionnuala Quinlan, press officer, Irish Aid: 01-4082653/ 087-9099975
 
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Press Office
09 September 2009