Written answers

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he continues to galvanise support for the alleviation of starvation, strife and famine in the horn of Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50468/12]

Photo of Joe CostelloJoe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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One year on from the devastating famine and food crisis which killed tens of thousands of people across the Horn of Africa, the humanitarian situation across much of the region remains extremely fragile. While a huge relief effort, followed by good rains last autumn, saved hundreds of thousands of lives, the crisis forced many more from their homes, devastated their livelihoods and left them vulnerable to future hunger shocks. In many areas, the tentative progress made thus far risks being undermined by further external shocks, such as another poor rainy season or a later than usual harvest.

Gripped by drought and racked by conflict for over twenty years, Somalia was the epicentre of last year’s crisis and in late 2012, remains by far the worst-affected country in the region. The Tánaiste’s visit to Mogadishu this summer, one of very few by senior international politicians in recent times, brought into sharp focus the continuing and critical nature of the humanitarian situation. The Tánaiste highlighted the need for sustained and properly targeted assistance to what remains, recent media attention notwithstanding, one of the world’s most significant ‘forgotten emergencies’. The visit also underlined Ireland’s commitment to continuing to support progress towards peace and stability in Somalia and to supporting development and resilience-focused programmes, whilst continuing to meet humanitarian needs. Indeed, and as the Tánaiste underlined in his own recent speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, the visit reinforced the Government’s ongoing determination to work closely with our partners in the UN at EU level to highlight forgotten crises and the needs of fragile states, such as Somalia.

In terms of direct humanitarian funding and assistance to date in 2012, Ireland has provided just under €6 million in emergency funding to address the humanitarian needs caused by the ongoing insecurity and food crisis in Somalia. Elsewhere in the Horn of Africa, Ireland has provided a further €1.3 million in humanitarian assistance to partners operating in Ethiopia as well as some €900,000 in support for agencies providing direct relief to drought-affected communities in Kenya.

In addition to this humanitarian assistance, Ireland also maintains a major bilateral development programme with Ethiopia, one of the countries most affected by last year’s crisis and where chronic food insecurity remains a major issue. This is the rationale behind Ireland’s ongoing support for the Productive Safety Nets Programme, which provides money or food to some of the poorest people in that country, in return for participation in a public works scheme which benefits local communities. Building on lessons learned from Ireland’s ongoing support for this and other similar initiatives, the Government will, in the months and years to come, continue to increase its focus on helping people to become more self-reliant and less dependent on humanitarian aid.

Finally at international level, the Government remains actively involved in pushing for humanitarian and relief efforts in the Horn to be closely tied to work to build the resilience of vulnerable communities across the region. We will continue to champion these efforts in the context of our forthcoming EU Presidency in the first half of 2013.

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