Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Ireland’s programme of official development assistance continues to have a special focus on the continent of Africa. As the Deputy is aware, African countries have historically faced many difficulties, including food insecurity, poverty, protracted conflict, environmental degradation, weak government capacity, unequal global trading relationships, severe infrastructural weaknesses, poor governance, debt and the effects of HIV/AIDS.

In an effort to help the countries of the continent confront these far-reaching challenges, we allocate some 80% of Ireland’s development assistance to Africa. Our missions in Africa monitor developments, report to the Government, and manage our political and economic relations and humanitarian and development programmes. Ireland also has excellent relations with its NGO partners which are a direct and reliable source of information regarding the level of humanitarian risk African countries face at any particular time. My Department regularly reviews these various sources of information and ensures that key messages are given voice at an international level where the opportunity arises.

Ireland continues to provide strong support to the reform of the international humanitarian system. Important lessons have been learned since the Asian Tsunami in 2004 and major steps have been taken to improve the effectiveness, predictability and accountability of the system as a whole.

Together with other like-minded donor countries, we have worked particularly closely with the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to put in place new systems to improve the way in which aid is delivered and to ensure that coordination on the ground is improved through enhanced monitoring systems.

At EU level, there have also been improvements in coordination between Member States and the European Commission, which together constitute the largest donor of development assistance in the world. The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, adopted in December 2007, commits the EU to working to provide an emergency response based on need and to upholding the principles of good humanitarian practice: humanity, neutrality, independence and impartiality. Under our EU Presidency, Ireland is currently chairing the Council Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Assistance and continues to work to enhance coordination in particular through the sharing of information at EU level in order to ensure a timely and effective response to a given crisis.

Africa faces many challenges. Nevertheless, the continent is showing real progress towards sustainable change. In order to maintain this positive momentum and avoid losing the positive gains from development investment over the years, Ireland will continue to work in partnership with African countries to respond quickly to humanitarian challenges when they occur.