Irish Aid: 10 Mar 2021: Written answers (KildareStreet.com)

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Each year the Department of Foreign Affairs' Ireland Fellows Programme offers promising individuals from ODA-eligible partner countries opportunities to study for a master’s qualification at an Irish University or Institute of Technology. The programme is intended to nurture future leaders; to develop in-country capacity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; and to build positive relationships with Ireland. The award covers course fees, accommodation, living costs, and flights.

The Ireland Fellows Programme has operated since 1974, bringing students from African partner countries and, since 2009, from Vietnam. Following a decision to expand the programme in 2019-20 it was enlarged to include students from the occupied Palestinian Territories, and in 2020-2021, from Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

There are presently 120 Fellows in Ireland, studying at 15 Higher Education Institutions. As is the case with all other students in Ireland, their higher education experience has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with classes, seminars and other group activities having moved on line. The Ireland Fellows Programme is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS). Officials from this Department are working closely with ICOS and the HEIs to monitor the Fellows' welfare and ensure their Irish experience is as positive as possible.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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A Better World, Ireland’s policy for international development was launched in February 2019. It provides the framework for Ireland’s development cooperation in the decade ahead and represents a step change in our approach, bringing together our development cooperation and diplomacy for optimum impact.

In the two years since the policy was launched, there has been notable progress in delivering and advancing various aspects of A Better World including on strategy development, policy influence, whole of government initiatives, and new programme funding commitments, the latter facilitated by a €30 million increase in the allocation for Official Development Aid for this year.

Clear deliverables achieved include the publication of Ireland’s first ever Small Island Developing States (SIDS) strategy; the launch of the Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security; the creation of an Irish Trust Fund in the Asian Development Bank for support to disaster and climate resilience in member SIDS; and the launch of a Domestic Resource Mobilisation Initiative, in partnership with the Department of Finance and Revenue Commissioners.

A new Climate Unit has been established within the Development Cooperation and Africa Division of my Department - the Division which leads on the Irish Aid programme. This Unit is taking forward the Programme for Government commitment to double the proportion of Official Development Aid which tackles climate change. Last week I launched Ireland's Climate Finance Report for 2019, which set the baseline for that commitment.

While COVID-19 rolls back development gains around the world, the Irish Aid programme has proved its self well positioned to respond. Through country programmes in Africa, Ireland is supporting the strengthening of public health systems, amplified by Irish Aid's investment this year of €50 million in global public health, including COVAX which will see vaccines distributed to 90 lower and middle income countries. Ireland is also a member of the Team Europe response to the pandemic - the EU and its Member States are already supporting the vaccination of 20% of the world's population through COVAX, and this is likely to grow. My Department works closely with the HSE in its work on global health, including in the provision of mental health support to frontline workers in COVID-affected partner countries.

With approximately 35% of Official Development Aid generated by other Departments, coordination across Government has been strengthened over the past two years. In addition, the capacity to manage programmes, particularly in key thematic areas such as climate, food and health, as well as oversight, is being strengthened, building from a strong base as identified by the OECD's review of Irish Aid published last year.

Work is ongoing to increase investment in research, and improve our public engagement. In this regard, I am currently engaged in a public consultation towards a new strategy on development education, for finalisation this summer.

Taken together these steps will ensure that Irish Aid is fit for purpose as we implement A Better World over the next decade.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Ireland has a longstanding partnership with Ethiopia. The Embassy’s development programme, which has an annual indicative budget of €32 million, focuses on: regional and national peace and security; democratic governance and accountability; humanitarian response and social protection; health and gender equality; and economic development. Addis Ababa is an important hub for African regional and continental organisations, and Ireland’s Embassy there is accredited to the African Union and the regional bloc IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development), through which we engage on regional peace and security issues.

The current Irish Aid programme in Ethiopia has a strong humanitarian focus, and responding to the devastating humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region is a major focus. Social protection is also a core element of the programme, through support to the flagship Productive Safety Net Programme, which provides food and cash transfers to food insecure households and highly vulnerable populations across the country. Ireland’s programme also focuses on support for the national health system, including the delivery of maternal health programmes. Given the gendered nature of poverty, the programme strongly prioritises the needs of women and girls.

Ireland’s programme in Ethiopia received a very positive assessment from the OECD 2020 DAC peer review, including for its principled political engagement on humanitarian issues, and for its strong advocacy for gender equality. The review also recognised that Ireland plays an important leadership role in terms of donor coordination in Ethiopia. We will continue to keep the development programme under close review, particularly in light of ongoing conflict in Tigray.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

The Embassy of Ireland in Liberia was established in 2018, building on the foundations set in place by an Irish Aid office which had previously supervised Irish development cooperation in the country and, before that, the contribution of Irish peacekeepers in the UNMIL mission from 2003-2007.

The Irish Aid engagement in Liberia is deepening following the establishment of the Embassy, whose approach is strongly aligned to A Better World, in particular the commitment to reaching the furthest behind first.

The Embassy is working to strengthen institutions and enable active participation by Liberians in decision-making processes. Particular focus is given to increasing women’s participation in local peacebuilding structures, the promotion of peaceful elections, and support to protecting Human Rights Defenders.

Ireland has long been active in the health sector in Liberia and played a coordination role during the Ebola outbreak in 2014-16. The Embassy continues to work to improve health and nutrition services, and to prevent and respond to sexual and gender based violence (SGBV). In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Embassy supports the Liberian Ministry of Health's primary health response, including case investigation and management, isolation and contact tracing.

Nutrition is a strong component of the Irish Aid work in Liberia, with the Embassy working in an innovative partnership with NGOs, government, local civil society and communities to improve nutritional status of under-fives in two counties where chronic malnutrition indices are highest.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

The Embassy of Ireland in Kenya has three pillars of development focus: 1) trade promotion and private sector engagement with a focus on women’s economic empowerment; 2) implementation of the Ireland Kenya Agri-Food Strategy; and 3) promotion of opportunities for youth and women through the Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) Initiative, and gender/gender based violence interventions. In 2021, the Embassy will also focus on strengthening governance in response to the evolving elections landscape in Kenya.

A highlight of Kenya’s development cooperation programme has been the flagship Young Scientists Kenya initiative, of which President Kenyatta is patron. In 2021, the Embassy will continue to support YSK’s efforts to reach youth in all 47 counties, and in particular the most disadvantaged. In 2020, YSK, with the Embassy’s support, was able to pivot online following the COVID-19 outbreak and continue its activities virtually, reaching 13,000 students directly before the outbreak COVID-19, and subsequently more than 10,000 through online outreach.

To implement the Ireland Kenya Agri-Food Strategy, the Embassy will work in partnership with Irish and Kenyan institutions focused on dairy, fisheries and potato initiatives which benefit smallholder farmers, in particular female farmers, as well as supporting climate change adaptation. In 2020, 3,827 smallholder farmers were trained on good agricultural practices and 197 ‘farmer field business schools’ were established which have improved farmer income and enhanced awareness on finance and credit.

In 2020, Irish Aid funding was also allocated to urgent humanitarian needs arising from COVID-19. This included supporting a social safety nets project providing cash transfers to vulnerable households in urban settlements implemented by an NGO consortium that included Concern. Additionally, the Embassy provided small grants to organisations addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on gender based violence and supporting female traders to protect their small businesses.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries, ranked 174 out of 189 countries in the 2020 UN Human Development Index. In recent years, Malawi has been particularly affected by annual food insecurity, which affects large cohorts of the population for several months of the year.

Since the opening of the Embassy of Ireland in Lilongwe in 2007, and the setting up of the Irish Aid programme, Ireland has worked with a variety of partners including government, United Nations, international and local NGOS, and research institutions.

A highlight of the Embassy's programme in recent years has been Ireland’s work on developing the social protection system in Malawi, which contributes to the reducing humanitarian need policy priority. Ireland has made a marked contribution to the development and piloting of flexible, shock responsive, electronic cash transfers. This investment has informed national policy and the manner in which the Government of Malawi and other donors now approach humanitarian crises, including the annual lean season. These flexible cash transfers reduce the impact of crises such as COVID-19, while contributing to sustained improvements in the nutritional status of household members and improving school attendance.

With other development partners, Ireland has provided support to the agricultural sector and for agricultural research in Malawi. This has contributed to diversification of crop production, resulting in, inter alia, improved dietary diversity and improved nutrition.

Ireland has also become a recognised champion of innovative, climate-smart and affordable energy solutions and was a key supporter of the Government of Malawi’s ambitious National Cookstove Initiative, which successfully saw two million households switch from open fires to energy saving stoves by the end of 2020. The success of this initiative has led to a reduction in the rate of deforestation, and a reduction in the incidence of respiratory tract infections associated with cooking over open fires.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May of 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Ireland has been delivering development and humanitarian assistance in Mozambique since 1996, after the country emerged from almost thirty years of civil war. Investments in development began from a very low base and today Mozambique remains one the world’s poorest countries, with access to basic services such as water, healthcare and education still challenging.

The Embassy of Ireland in Mozambique aims to make a distinctive and principled foreign policy contribution that includes managing the delivery of the Irish Aid programme. A key objective of the programme is to improve access to quality health and education services – both critical tasks as Mozambique faces the continuing spread of COVID-19.

Ireland’s Embassy is working at both political and technical levels in support of the Government of Mozambique’s COVID-19 response. In 2020, Ireland made an advance disbursement of funding for Mozambique’s health sector pooled fund, amounting to €8 million, and worked with the Ministry of Health to reprioritise donor expenditure in order to procure PPE and to support the recruitment of auxiliary health workers to provide surge capacity in the health system. Ireland’s support was critical in ensuring that front line staff were in place to manage the impacts of COVID-19 and that essential health services to the poor, particularly to women, children and vulnerable groups could continue.

Ireland’s support to the education sector in Mozambique was also adapted in 2020 in light of COVID-19. As all schools were closed in March, Ireland worked with the Ministry of Education to reprioritise expenditure to support an adapted learning environment, including the provision of virtual classes via television and radio platforms, while also supporting teacher training and preparations for the resumption of primary and secondary education.

Reducing humanitarian need is another key element of Ireland’s work. In March and April 2019, Cyclones Idai and Kenneth caused widespread devastation to infrastructure and crops, displaced 400,000 people from their homes, and left more than 2 million people in urgent humanitarian need. In response, Ireland provided just over €4 million to UN and NGO partners. These funds enabled the delivery of lifesaving food assistance, health care, and access to water, sanitation and hygiene to impacted families, and later, provided those displaced with supports to return to their homes. The Embassy’s partnerships with Government health, education, and disaster management agencies also contributed to an effective response to the outbreak of cholera following the cyclones, the rehabilitation of schools and hospitals using climate-resilient construction techniques, and to overall coordination of emergency response efforts.

In northern Mozambique, where a violent insurgency has been underway since 2017, Ireland is at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts to meet the needs of more than 660,000 people displaced from their homes by violence, and more than 950,000 facing emergency levels of food insecurity. In 2020, Ireland provided €4.8 million euro to UN, NGO and Red Cross partners working to meet humanitarian needs. This included €2.2 million to the World Food Programme in support of its efforts to provide emergency food assistance to those displaced, and €700,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross for work to uphold humanitarian law in conflict-affected areas, to support victims of violence, and to provide those displaced with access to health services, water and sanitation.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Ireland's approach to engagement with Sierra Leone is informed by ‘A Better World’, with an overarching goal being that women and girls, living in poverty, contribute to and benefit from a more inclusive, resilient and equitable Sierra Leone.

The Embassy of Ireland in Freetown has adopted a number of different, but complementary, approaches to delivering the Irish Aid programme in Sierra Leone, including working with government, other Development Partners and engagement with Civil Society Organisations.

The Embassy of Ireland has a particular focus on improving outcomes for child health through its nutrition programming across a range of partnerships, which address child malnutrition. The Embassy has also partnered with organisations that have developed integrated nutrition sensitive agri-food programmes to respond to the changing global climatic conditions at community level.

Fundamental to the Embassy's work is the empowerment of women and girls to uphold their rights. Through work with its Irish Aid partnerships, it provides healthcare and supports for survivors of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), while also supporting the government of Sierra Leone to realise its commitment to provide free, quality education for all children at primary and second level.

The Embassy also works with a variety of partners to support democracy, accountability and women’s political participation in Sierra Leone, aligning closely with two of Ireland's key policy priorities of gender equality and strengthened governance. It has helped build the capacity of a coalition of women leaders to help diffuse political tensions around elections and by-elections.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Embassy collaborated with the EU and three Irish NGOs on a €1.2 million ‘Team Europe’ COVID-19 response programme. An adaptive programming approach allowed an agile response which promptly met the needs of vulnerable communities in Sierra Leone as a result of the pandemic.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Ireland’s Embassy in South Africa manages the delivery of Irish Aid programmes in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the southern Africa sub-region. Ireland has been engaged in development cooperation with South Africa since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994, and with Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. Irish Aid programmes focus on education, maternal and child health, human rights and accountability, and tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Since 2020, the Embassy and its partners have also been working to address the impacts of Covid-19.

Gender equality is at the centre of the full range of the Embassy’s work. Addressing harmful gender norms, violence, and promoting women’s participation in society are core elements of Irish Aid’s work, which comprises two streams: at national level, supports to UN and civil society partners aim to influence policy and national processes which address gender equality. At community level, direct interventions support women and children affected by violence and work with men and boys to reduce the incidence of violence.

In South Africa, where GBV is endemic, Ireland has supported the development and roll-out of a National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. The Embassy’s work also supports research and community-level engagement with men and boys to encourage behaviour change. In Zimbabwe, the Embassy has worked with UNFPA to lobby for the review of laws and policies to prevent child marriage, and to hold perpetrators of intimate partner violence to account, while civil society organisations supported by the Embassy run shelters and provide access to essential services for survivors of GBV. At regional level, the Embassy supports UN Women’s multi-country office for South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, and Namibia, to implement the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Framework for Action on GBV.

In South Africa, the Embassy’s flagship education programme is the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, named in honour of the late Professor Kader Asmal who taught at Trinity College Dublin, co-founded the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, and was part of the team that negotiated South Africa’s transition to democracy. Through this programme, Ireland supports students from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho to study at Master’s degree level in Ireland in strategically important disciplines. 81 Fellowships have been awarded since the programme commenced in 2013, and 14 South Africans were offered fellowships for the 2020/21 academic year.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

Ireland has been providing development assistance to Tanzania since 1975. Over that time, Ireland has worked with a wide variety of partner organisations including government institutions, UN agencies, international research institutions, civil society organisations and other donor agencies to deliver on the overall goal of inclusive growth and reduced poverty and vulnerability in Tanzania.

In line with ‘A Better World’,gender equality, strengthened governance, and climate change adaptation are the priority areas for Ireland’s current programme in Tanzania, as well as continued efforts to reduce humanitarian need through support for refugee response efforts.

Ireland works in Tanzania to address gender equality through partnerships that improve healthcare for women and children. These efforts are complemented by support for primary and community based health care services, including reducing malnutrition and stunting, in isolated and under-served rural communities and especially among pregnant women and young children. This programme provides targeted support to those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Irish Aid supports technical skills training for adolescents and support to farmers, including and especially women farmers, to produce climate adapted food crops. In seeking to reach the furthest behind first, Ireland plays an important role in supporting and strengthening social protection systems in Tanzania.

To reduce humanitarian need and support the refugee response in Tanzania, Ireland has provided much-needed support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This has helped in the voluntary repatriation of refugees, the provision of basic healthcare services at refugee camps, and assisted in the response to COVID-19 amongst refugee populations.

Improving governance and supporting effective institutions is another major focus of Ireland’s programme in Tanzania. In this respect, the Embassy works with UN partners to strengthen access to justice, in conjunction with the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

The Embassy of Ireland in Uganda opened in 1994, with the establishment of the Irish Aid programme in the country. Guided by the priorities of ‘A Better World’, Ireland’s focus on the most vulnerable sections of society has been consistent, including through the longstanding prioritisation of the poorest and most marginalised region of Uganda, Karamoja. Ireland’s engagement is recognised for its strong focus on girls’ education, HIV prevention, and support of social welfare grants for senior citizens. This focus remains highly relevant in providing targeted support to those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Embassy and its partners will continue to address the impacts of COVID-19 through its programming in 2021.

Ireland has played a key role in supporting an expanded social protection programme in Uganda. A critical component of this programme is the provision of social welfare payments to senior citizens. Ireland’s support has helped provide cash transfers and reduce vulnerability of elderly people and their families. This has improved the quality of life across many households, through supporting improved diets as well as increased access to basic health care and education for children. It has also provided opportunities for households to engage in small enterprises.

Improving access to education is a key priority of Ireland’s investment in Uganda. In Karamoja, where education and literacy indicators are the lowest in the country, Ireland supports primary and post primary education, vocational training and skills development, as well as bursaries for the most vulnerable students. Support for strengthened governance also remains an important area of focus, and Ireland has worked closely with the EU and other EU Member State partners through the flagship Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), which provides coordinated support to over ninety organisations working to promote democratic governance and human rights.

As a result of its progressive open-door refugee policy, Uganda hosts approximately 1.4 million refugees, the largest refugee population in Africa. The needs of this population are greater than ever, with refugee settlements facing increased food insecurity and risk of malnutrition due to financial constraints. The situation has been compounded further by the COVID-19 pandemic and, in response, Ireland has increased our support for cash transfers, food assistance and provision of basic services to refugees.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland's longstanding programme of development cooperation in South East Asia is implemented by the Embassy of Ireland in Hanoi in conjunction with a number of partner organisations. The programme operates primarily in Vietnam itself, with a smaller range of activity in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.

Consistent with the commitment to the "furthest behind first" in Ireland's Policy for International Development, A Better World, the largest component of the Irish Aid programme in Vietnam focuses on poverty reduction for ethnic minorities, aimed at some of that country's poorest and most marginalised communities. The populations and geographical areas targeted by the Ethnic Minorities Programme include more than half of those living in poverty in Vietnam. Irish Aid supports the Vietnamese Government in implementing the programme in five provinces, with a focus on small-scale infrastructure (local roads, schools, clinics, etc.). Ireland's Embassy in Hanoi also coordinates an Ethnic Minority Working Group which helps to shape policy and ensure that the social and economic development of ethnic minority communities remains a priority on the Government’s agenda.

Another important element of Irish activity is the Vietnam-Ireland Exchange Programme (IDEAS), which brings together Irish and Vietnamese experts to build technical, governance and policy development capacity in institutions responsible for economic decision-making in Vietnam. IDEAS also brings promising individuals to Ireland to undertake Master's-level study through the Ireland Fellows programme run by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Ireland’s also supports civil society in Vietnam, focusing on the themes of disability, poverty reduction, gender empowerment, capacity development and participatory local governance. Ireland provides funding to national and international civil society partners to strengthen their capacity in research, network building and the creation of coalitions for advocacy and potential social change. This support to civil society aims to influence policy response and service delivery in favour of groups that are marginalised on the basis of gender, migrant status, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. Ireland also funds youth development projects supporting young, creative and enthusiastic people to grow their ideas and turn them into organised actions. The Embassy has made distinctive choices of partners based on shared values and a commitment to sustainable development, gender equality, human rights and good governance.

Ireland’s Regional Programme operates across Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR and addresses issues of humanitarian need, vulnerability and fragility. The support addresses hunger and under-nutrition; promotes livelihood support for very vulnerable groups; facilitates humanitarian de-mining to reduce loss of life and injury and enable post conflict reconstruction; and provides humanitarian assistance for immediate needs in Myanmar.

During the course of 2020, the programme put in place additional supports to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable in the region as well as to respond to the impact of devastating floods on hundreds of thousands of people in the last quarter of the year.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s policy for international development, ‘A Better World’, launched in February 2019, commits to scaling Ireland’s investment across four policy priorities: gender equality; reducing humanitarian need; climate action and strengthening governance.

This policy was complemented, in November 2019, by the Government’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, which builds on Ireland’s long history of engagement in the continent and commits to working with African countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on reaching those furthest behind first. In May 2020, an OECD review recognised the excellence of Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development programme, which helps Ireland play a leading role advocating for poverty reduction, channelling our assistance to where it is needed most.

In 2020, Ireland celebrated 40 years of its diplomatic presence in Zambia. While Zambia is classed as a lower middle-income country, much of the population lives in poverty and the country has one of the highest levels of inequality globally. Poverty is significantly worse in rural areas, and for the elderly, women and children. The Embassy of Ireland in Lusaka implements the Irish Aid programme in Zambia with an emphasis on reducing poverty and inequality.

In line with priorities on climate action and gender equality, a highlight of the programme in Zambia in recent years has been Ireland’s work on nutrition. Through a range of partners, the Embassy has worked to promote the availability and consumption of nutritious food products in rural and urban areas. For example, the Embassy has partnered with an organisation which has led to strengthening of agricultural supply chains of nutritious products by stimulating agricultural market development and investments in smallholder farmers, especially among women farmers.

The Embassy has adapted its programming in recent years to take account of the increasing humanitarian needs in Zambia resulting from climate and other shocks. In 2019, the Embassy partnered with an international NGO to support an emergency school feeding programme in response to a food security crisis in which up to 2.3 million Zambians required urgent support. In 2020 the Embassy partnered with UNICEF to implement an emergency cash transfer programme for 130,000 vulnerable urban households affected by COVID-19. This programme enabled these households to buy nutritious foods and other basic essentials.

Written answers

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

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Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Irish Aid

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