Written answers

Thursday, 14 July 2022

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid

Photo of Ruairi Ó MurchúRuairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

417. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of the Government’s plans to increase overseas aid to deal with the threat of famine which has been made worse by the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39182/22]

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

Global food insecurity is at record levels and has worsened with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Rising global food prices have been exacerbated by the effective blockade on shipping from Ukraine's ports which has restricted access to wheat and fertilisers. The United Nation’s outlook for the coming months highlights twenty global hunger hotspots where humanitarian action is an urgent priority.

In its review of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) published in 2020, the OECD found Ireland to be an excellent humanitarian partner. Ireland is supporting responses worldwide including a strong focus on the 20 hunger hotspots and the 2022 allocation of €126 million for Irish Aid’s humanitarian action is substantially higher than 2021. In addition the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has provided €25 million to assist the World Food Programme’s activities in crisis countries. In order to help address the underlying causes of food insecurity Ireland has pledged to invest €800 million by 2027 in improving global food and nutrition systems.

The Horn of Africa, to give one specific example of our response, is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in at least forty years. Responding, my Department has contributed over €48 million in humanitarian support to Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia over the past 18 months. These interventions complement the Irish Aid investment of over €12 million in development funding last year, including in partnership with Irish NGOs.

In addition, the region is being supported through Ireland’s contributions to multilateral humanitarian action, such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Ireland prepositions funds with partners such as the CERF which enables them to react immediately to crises as they happen. Since 2021, the CERF has allocated almost $100 million to help drought-affected communities in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Ireland is the 8th largest contributor to CERF providing €11.5 million in 2022. Ireland has supported a strong EU response and in April the EU pledged €348 million for 2022 to provide both humanitarian assistance and longer-term support to tackle root causes of food insecurity.

At the UN Security Council Ireland will continue to draw international attention to humanitarian crises. As the informal focal point on Conflict and Hunger on the Security Council, Ireland is a consistent advocate on global food insecurity. We are also a strong voice at the EU on collective action and the urgent need for scaled up responses.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.