Ireland’s support to women’s empowerment in the dGender equality is both a human right and fundamental to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.

Yet inequality remains deeply entrenched in every society. While significant gains have been made to empower women worldwide, great challenges remain. Women struggle to find decent employment and often get paid less than men who do the same work. In some countries women and girls are still denied access to basic education and health care. Women in all parts of the world suffer violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.eveloping world

Minister of State for Trade and Development Joe Costello, TD, today announced that Ireland is preparing to airlift emergency shelter supplies to assist the international relief effort in the Philippines.

"The full scale of the devastation wrought by the typhoon which hit the Philippines on December 15 and 16 is now clear. It is estimated that 1,000 people have died while almost 350,000 people have been left homeless as a result of landslides and severe flooding on the island of Mindanao", Minister Costello said.

"Given the extremely difficult conditions in which thousands of families are now living I have instructed officials to prepare to airlift emergency shelter supplies to Mindanao from our pre-positioned stocks in Malaysia.

"More than 280,000 people have sought shelter in evacuation centres in the disaster area. Ireland will provide tents and thousands of blankets to assist these families, who have lost their homes and belongings to the severe floods. "I would like to express Ireland's solidarity with the people of the Philippines, and indeed with thousands of Filipino people who live in Ireland," Minister Costello said.

The emergency supplies will be airlifted by Ireland from our pre-positioned stocks in the United Nations humanitarian depot in Malaysia to Mindanao Island. The airlift is expected to take place on Christmas Day. The supplies are in addition to €100,000 already provided to Plan Ireland to support their emergency response in Mindanao.

Members of Ireland's Rapid Response Corps are on standby to deploy to the Philippines over the coming days and weeks to assist the international relief operation.

Minister Costello also expressed concern at the earthquakes which struck Christchurch in New Zealand today.

"Our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch, who have endured an extremely difficult year. We will continue to monitor the situation closely through our embassy in Canberra," he said.

23rd December 2011

Notes for the Editor

• For further information or to request an interview with Minister Costello, contact Fionnuala Quinlan, Press Officer, Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 01-4082653 or 0879099975.
• Irish AId is the Government's overseas aid programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Irish Aid maintains emergency stocks within the UN Humanitarian Relief Depot system located in or close to crisis prone of the world. Through this network Irish Aid supplies in Panama, Dubai, Ghana and Italy, as well as in Malaysia (Subang).
• Irish Aid maintains the Rapid Response Corps, a register of highly-skilled individuals who are willing to be deployed at short notice at short notice to assist in an emergency relief effort.

The Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., today announced the arrival of emergency shelter supplies to assist thousands of families left homeless by the typhoon which hit the Philippines earlier this month.

The Minister said the shipment of 400 large tents and 15,000 blankets will support the international relief operation on the island of Mindanao, which was devastated by landslides and severe flooding following a tropical storm on December 15 and 16.

“We now know that more than 1,000 people have lost their lives, while 1,500 were injured. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, more than 10,000 homes were either destroyed or damaged, leaving more than 350,000 people homeless. This airlift will provide vital shelter to some of these families, who have been enduring extremely difficult conditions over the last two weeks.”

The emergency supplies were airlifted by Ireland from our pre-positioned stocks in the United Nations’ humanitarian depot in Malaysia to Davao City on Mindanao Island last night (Dec 25). The supplies are being distributed by Plan Ireland.”

“I have also put members of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps on standby to deploy to the Philippines over the coming days and weeks to assist the international relief operation. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely, including through our Embassy in Singapore.”

“I would like to express Ireland’s solidarity with the people of the Philippines and the thousands of Filipino nationals who are resident in Ireland. Our thoughts are with them today and with their families, who may have been affected by this disaster.”

The European Union is making today a contribution of approximately €47.7 million to the payment of the December 2011 salaries and pensions of almost 85,000 Palestinian civil servants and pensioners in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This contribution, which is channelled through the PEGASE[1] mechanism, is being funded by the European Commission (€26.2 million) and the governments of Spain (€20.0 million), Ireland (€1.0 million) and Luxembourg (€0.5 million).

"The European Union's continuing financial support to the Palestinian Authority underlines the confidence that Europe has in the PA's institutions and their ability to provide essential public services. This support will continue in 2012 while the PA moves forward its objective of fiscal sustainability and economic viability", said Acting EU Representative Mr. John Gatt-Rutter. "I would like to thank the Governments of Spain, Ireland and Luxembourg for their respective contributions and for entrusting the PEGASE mechanism with channelling their funds."

Background

Most of the European Union's assistance to the Palestinian Authority is channelled through PEGASE, the financial mechanism launched in 2008 to support the PA Reform and Development Plan (2008-2010) and the subsequent PA Palestinian National Plan (2011-2013). As well as helping to meet a substantial proportion of its running costs, European funds support major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare the PA for statehood in line with the plan put forward by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in August 2009. Since February 2008, c.€1.2 billion have been disbursed through the PEGASE Direct Financial Support programmes. In addition, the EU has provided assistance to the Palestinian people through UNRWA and a wide range of cooperation projects.

For further information in Arabic and English on the EU's assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory and the PEGASE mechanism, please visit: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/westbank/

On the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, which killed more than 230,000 people, Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, T.D., has confirmed that the Government has delivered 90% of the funding pledged by Ireland in response to the disaster.

Minister Costello said that €11.5 million of the €13 million pledged by the Government for the period 2010 to 2012 has been provided to assist families to access clean water, shelter and sanitation. The remaining €1.5 million in funding will be released in the early months of 2012.

“The Irish people have been unwavering in their support for the hundreds of thousands of victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti in 2010” Minister Costello said.

“Two years on, we know that the humanitarian situation in Haiti remains extremely fragile. An estimated 550,000 people are still displaced within the country, living in nearly 900 tented camps in Port-au-Prince and other earthquake-affected areas.

“Since 2010, we have made emergency funding available for the provision of clean water, shelter and sanitation for the affected population. To prioritise these efforts we have been working with a number of NGOs, including Concern, Goal, Plan, World Vision and Haven. Ireland also airlifted two shipments of emergency humanitarian supplies and deployed 18 members of the Rapid Response Corps.

“In terms of longer-term development, Irish Aid is currently funding Concern Worldwide and the missionary organisation Misean Cara for these organisations’ projects to build sustainable livelihoods and support education throughout the country.

“I will continue to work with other donors and the international community, led by the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, to ensure that adequate progress is made in recovery and reconstruction while also addressing the immediate needs of the population.”

The Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., begins a five-day visit to Ethiopia on Monday (23 January) to see the impact of Ireland’s development programme.

Minister Costello will visit schools, health centres and agriculture projects which are supported by Ireland and targeted at the poorest communities in Ethiopia.

Minister Costello will visit Tigray in the north of the country, where Ireland supports a programme to provide cash or food in return for vital environmental works which improve agricultural productivity. The programme is instrumental in protecting the lives of over 7.5 million people, who otherwise would be at risk of hunger. Speaking ahead of his visit, the Minister said:

“I look forward to seeing the impact of Ireland’s work in Ethiopia over the coming days. The Irish Aid programme in Ethiopia is focused on tackling hunger and improving the provision of health services to the poorest communities.

Our partnership with Ethiopia has contributed to remarkable progress over recent years: an additional four million children are now in primary school, compared to five years ago, while the risk of children dying before their fifth birthday has halved since 2000.

The environmental work which Ireland supports in Tigray has not only helped to protect 7.5 million people from hunger, it has supported the building of thousands of terraces and small dams which conserve water and soil and improve the productivity of the land, ensuring that farmers’ yields are improved.

These are long-term, sustainable results which ensure that vulnerable communities can build a better future for their children. Support for agriculture is particularly important in a country where 85% of the population live in rural areas. ”

Minister Costello will also meet the Country Directors of Irish aid agencies including Concern, Goal, Trócaire and Self Help Africa, which receive substantial funding from Irish Aid to support their work in Ethiopia.

During his visit, Minister Costello will also attend the African Union Summit in the capital, Addis Ababa, where he will meet senior African politicians to further develop the strong relations that Ireland has with African nations.

Minister Costello will also meet with several Ministers from African States to lobby for support for Ireland’s candidature for the United Nations Human Rights Council. The Minister said:

“I will be attending the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, an important annual gathering of African leaders. This will provide me with an opportunity to press Ireland’s case with our African friends for our election to the UN Human Rights Council.

“This is the first time that Ireland has sought election to the Human Rights Council. Given Ireland’s strong record in working to improve human rights and the commitment of this Government to tackling human rights abuses around the globe, membership of the Council would provide us with a strong platform to further our work in this crucial area.”

Ireland Donates €70 Million to Emergency Appeals

It was announced today that Ireland has donated more than €70 million to Red Cross emergency appeals over the last 10 years. Speaking at the Irish Red Cross in Dublin, Annita Underlin - Director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s Europe Zone, said that, ‘the generosity of the Irish public has literally changed thousands if not millions of lives around the world’.

During her visit to the Irish Red Cross, Ms Underlin paid tribute to ‘this extraordinary show of compassion for those in need’ and said that ‘families whose homes had washed away, children who had no chance of survival, communities with no income, food or hope, now have homes, have food and have hope for their future’.

The Irish Red Cross has run over 20 emergency appeals in the last decade, to which the Irish public have responded in a most generous way. In that time, the public has assisted those affected by the Bam Earthquake in Iran, the conflict in Darfur, the school siege in Beslan, Russia, food shortages in Malawi and Niger, the 2004 Asian Tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, flooding in Pakistan, the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, flooding in Ireland and most recently Typhoon Washi in the Philippines.

Ms Underlin was speaking during a visit to the Irish Red Cross headquarters in Dublin, where she is advising the Society on the development of a new 5-year strategic plan.

“The Irish Red Cross has played a vital role in channelling the generosity of the Irish people and is ambitious to sustain that success. We in the International Red Cross movement are here to support their efforts in every way possible.”

In Ireland the Irish Red Cross has a network of 5,000 volunteers who assist communities throughout the country. Programmes in Ireland focus on community care and responding to domestic emergencies such as the 2011floods. For more information please see www.redcross.ie.

Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., today announced emergency funding for the Sahel region of West Africa, where 10 million people are at risk from a growing serious food crisis.

€5 million is being made available to support the relief activities of major UN agencies, the Red Cross and NGOs and will help in the provision of emergency food assistance to thousands of malnourished children and adults.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with Dr Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Minister Costello said:

“Even in good years, many people in the Sahel have struggled to survive. Food and nutrition insecurity have become long-term, chronic problems and the growing level of poverty and inequality mean that there is no buffer when things go wrong.

Aid agencies are already warning that the current crisis is one of the worst to face the region in years. Last year, despite warnings, many governments and aid organisations failed to respond early enough to the crisis in the Horn of Africa. If we do not act decisively now, millions of people in the Sahel will die and a crisis will become a catastrophe.

We also need to work harder to reduce the risk of droughts or disasters from happening in the first place. By tackling the root causes of crises such as this one, we will help those most in need and ensure that our support is used in the best and most cost-effective manner. I look forward to discussing ways in which the EU can help advance such an approach during my discussions later today with Commissioner Georgieva”.

Across the region, the UN is reporting that a combination of drought, poverty, high grain prices, environmental degradation and years of underdevelopment is likely to plunge countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad, northern Cameroon and northern Nigeria into a new food and nutrition crisis.

International agencies forced to tackle the emergency have already requested more than US $720 million in aid. The Minister also referred to Irish Aid’s ongoing efforts to encourage other donors and aid agencies to link longer-term development activities with humanitarian responses.

In response to the growing crisis in Syria, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore TD, has pledged to make up to €500,000 available to Irish Aid’s partner humanitarian agencies who are working on the ground.

The Tánaiste said that the funds would be made available to the Red Cross and UN agencies operating in Syria as well as in neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. Irish Aid funding will be used to provide immediate relief to those affected by the fighting and to pre-position emergency supplies for use in the event that the situation deteriorates further.

“After almost a year of conflict in Syria, the UN estimates that 7,500 people have died, while up to 200,000 people have fled their homes amid widespread destruction. Some have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, while hundreds of thousands of civilians have been caught up in the fighting. There is a real risk that the situation could deteriorate further and I believe the international community has a duty to respond.”

The Tánaiste underlined the importance of securing immediate and unhindered access for all humanitarian agencies, including the UN, which has the lead role in coordinating international humanitarian efforts:

“Despite the valiant efforts of humanitarian agencies to reach those most in need, access to vulnerable communities and regions remains extremely difficult. The situation in Homs is particularly dire, with food and medical supplies running dangerously low. We will continue to call for free, safe and unhindered access for all humanitarian workers and relief supplies. In this regard, we fully support the efforts of Baroness Amos, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, to gain access and encourage the Syrian authorities to engage with her and with the International Committee of the Red Cross without further delay with a view to allowing immediate access to people suffering as a result of the violence”.

The Tánaiste echoed the warnings made by the UN regarding the dangers associated with any possible militarisation of emergency assistance.

“It is critical to the integrity and safety of aid operations that they are seen to be independent of all military force. The provision of essential humanitarian relief must be kept separate from other activities”.

Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, T.D., has placed Irish Aid’s Rapid Response Corps on standby and offered emergency stockpiles to aid agencies as part of their response.

“The Irish Aid Rapid Response Corps and our emergency stockpiles in Dubai are available for immediate dispatch as required. I have asked my officials to keep in close contact with the relief operation and to liaise with the Red Cross and the UN as the situation with regard to humanitarian access and the needs of these agencies gradually becomes clearer.”

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Eamon Gilmore, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Simon Coveney and Minister of State for Trade and Development Mr Joe Costello today launched a €2 million Africa Agri-Food Development Fund.

The fund is part of Ireland’s overseas development cooperation programme and is designed to support the development of new partnerships between the agri-food sectors in Ireland and Africa. The two-year pilot phase (2012 to 2013) will focus on Tanzania and Kenya.

The programme is targeted at encouraging and supporting Irish agri-food companies to transfer knowledge and experience to the African agri-food sector in order to build and strengthen the African food industry and meet the continent’s food needs.

Speaking at the launch, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said:

“Africa is growing quickly and now boasts a collective GDP to rival Brazil’s or Russia’s. Business opportunities are opening as African countries build trade links with each other and with world markets. Irish companies are well-placed to play a role in meeting Africa’s increasing food needs. Our agri-food industries have the skills and the vision to both trade and invest in Africa.

The Irish Government will continue to provide development aid to Africa to fight poverty and hunger. Through my Department’s Africa Strategy, our long term aim is to end dependency on aid and to build a new relationship with Africa based on politics, democracy and trade.”

Minister Simon Coveney said:

“The Irish agri-food sector is highly respected internationally and I believe that many of the skills developed in the establishment of the industry here could potentially be transferred to assist in the development of the food industry in African countries. Irish agri-food expertise, is well established and represents a significant learning resource for the agri-food sector in Developing Countries.

The priority of this Fund must be how can it improve productivity in the agricultural sector in Africa and how can associated market opportunities for that output be developed I’m very aware of the philanthropic goodwill of the Irish agri-food sector and I will be asking them to actively consider what role they might play in the implementation of this Fund.”

Minister of State Joe Costello said:

“During my recent visit to Malawi, I saw how Irish Aid’s support to a programme to increase agricultural productivity has helped to protect 4.6 million people from hunger over the last six years. This was achieved by supporting smallholder farmers to diversify to more nutritious crops. Partnerships with the private sector were critical to this success.

Our policy is to fund cutting edge international research to support the development of drought-resistant seeds, climate-smart farming practices, Vitamin A-rich sweet potato, and the successful control of devastating crop pests.

This innovative pilot programme to support Africa to build an Agri-Food sector has the potential to greatly complement the work that Irish Aid is doing in many of partner countries in increasing agricultural productivity. It is in line with the recommendations of the Hunger Task Force as it helps to link smallholder farmers to research and the private sector, thus assisting them in moving beyond subsistence farming.”

It is intended that initiatives which receive support will be based around themes of food safety, animal health, business development, technology transfer and research and development.

The €2 million allocation to the Africa Agri-Food Development Fund is being drawn from existing overseas development aid budgets in the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Fund will be managed by a steering committee comprised of expertise from both Departments.

The Fund’s steering committee will prepare a report for consideration by Ministers which will prioritise areas for support in the pilot phase.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, TD, today announced €8 million in funding to tackle child under-nutrition and support cutting-edge research to boost agricultural productivity in the developing world.

The Tánaiste also announced that Ireland has met the target of investing 20% of the Irish Aid budget in targeted and effective programmes to tackle global hunger. The target was set following publication of the Hunger Task Force Report of 2008.

Speaking at the launch of Concern Worldwide’s campaign“1,000 Days of Baby Nutrition” in Dublin today, the Tánaiste said Ireland had become a leading advocate internationally for urgent action to tackle hunger.

“Irish people have shown, by their generosity, time and time again that we will not ignore the plight of the poorest and most vulnerable– even during difficult times at home.

“Over the last three years Ireland has forged a leading role in global efforts to fight hunger. Working with US Secretary of State Clinton and with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, we have put food security at the centre of the international agenda, particularly within the United Nations system.

“Through the Irish Aid programme, Ireland is investing in cutting-edge agricultural research to increase the yields of poor farmers and support them to build better futures for their children. We are also supporting programmes to tackle child and maternal under-nutrition through targeted food programmes and food fortification to deliver the micronutrients which are critical for pregnant women and babies. The funding that I am announcing today will help us to further build on this work.”

The Tánaiste said Ireland would capitalise on our Presidency of the European Union in 2013 to highlight hunger on the European Union’s development agenda. He also paid tribute to Concern Worldwide for their campaign to combat hunger and under-nutrition.

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, who chaired a panel discussion at today’s conference, said he had witnessed the impact of Ireland’s targeted programmes to tackle hunger during visits to Ethiopia and Malawi.

“Our focus on tackling hunger is producing results which we can see and measure: In Malawi, Ireland’s support of a Government programme to provide 1.6 million farmers with subsidised fertiliser and seeds has led to enormous improvements in the number of families who now have enough food to sustain them.

“In Ethiopia, our support to a rural safety nets programme includes an irrigation scheme with a cash or food element for work carried out by smallholder farmers. This is protecting up to eight million people from hunger each year. The fight against global hunger and maternal and baby under-nutrition will remain a priority for the Government.”

Press Office

16 May 2012

Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, today announced €7.25 million to provide emergency food, water and healthcare to communities affected by a severe drought in the Sahel region of Africa and by conflict in Sudan and South Sudan.

This is in addition to €8.2 million which the Minister allocated at the start of the year to support the emergency relief effort in both regions.

The new funding is being allocated as follows:

€4.25 million to UN and aid agencies working in the Sahel region of Africa, which has been devastated by drought and food insecurity. €1.5 million to UN agencies in Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have been severely affected by fighting and three million people in Darfur need food assistance. €1.5 million to UN agencies working in South Sudan to meet the needs of three million people in need of emergency food assistance as a result of poor harvests and conflict.
The €4.25 million of Irish Aid funding for the Sahel will be channelled through the United Nations and aid agencies responding to the crisis. Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal are worst-hit, with the UN estimating that more than $1 billion is needed to respond to the urgent needs of up to 15 million people in the region.

Addressing the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade today, Minister Costello said:

“I have been monitoring the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel closely and in February approved €5 million to provide emergency food and healthcare to those in crisis. While that funding provided vital assistance to thousands of people, the needs are growing and it is now estimated that 15 million people do not have enough to eat.

"Mindful of the race against time, I have authorised an additional €4.25 million in assistance. The majority of this funding will support large-scale UN agencies, such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF, as well as key NGO partners who are working in the region, to deliver specialised food, nutrition and emergency healthcare.”

Minister Costello also announced €3 million in funding to assist communities in Sudan and South Sudan who have been severely affected by conflict and poor harvests. The funding will be channelled through the United Nations.

"In Sudan, the crisis is particularly acute in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions, where an estimated 350,000 civilians have been severely affected by fighting since June last year. In addition, more than three million people in Darfur are reliant on food aid. Today I am providing €1.5 million to the UN’s Common Humanitarian Fund, which will be used to support UN agencies to target the most critical humanitarian needs across the country.”

Minister Costello also announced €1.5 million in funding to the UN to support the relief effort in South Sudan.

“South Sudan, the world’s newest State, faces enormous development challenges. More than 80% percent of the population live on less than US$1 per day and insecurity - both in the border areas with the north, and internally - has led to mass movement of people. This has compounded the effects of a poor harvest last October. The cereal deficit in South Sudan in 2012 is likely to be double that of 2011, with close to 3 million people expected to require emergency food assistance this year. This funding to the United Nations will support its agencies to respond to the urgent needs for food, water and emergency healthcare.”

Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, today announced €50,000 to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone.

The funding will allow for the expansion of Caritas’ programme to provide counselling and vocational training to former child soldiers.

Minister Costello said:

“During the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, it is estimated that 10,000 children were forcibly recruited to fight. These children were often given drugs and forced to commit atrocities, while girls were systematically sexually abused. Many of these children were not reunited with their families after the war, or were rejected by their communities when the war ended.

“For these young people who have suffered terribly, the opportunity to access trauma counselling and to learn vocational skills is critical. Today I saw how Caritas’ programme is working to rehabilitate and re-integrate former child soldiers when I visited a welder’s shop, a tailoring service, and a restaurant, all run by entrepreneurs trained by Caritas during and after the war.

“The €50,000 in funding which I have announced for the next two years will enable Caritas to reach more vulnerable young people by extending the programme to more towns and villages. The funding will also strengthen the mental health and trauma counselling component of the programme which has been under-funded for some time.”

Minister Costello also visited St. Joseph’s School for the Hearing Impaired in Makeni where he saw a school-feeding programme, implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP) and supported by Irish Aid. Since 2010, Ireland has provided €2.75 million to the WFP in support of the programme.

Minister Costello said:

“Through Ireland’s contribution to the national school feeding programme, more than 118,000 students - half of whom are girls – now receive a daily school meal. In addition, 650 tonnes of the food that Sierra Leonean school children are eating this year will all be purchased from local farmers in the region, thus contributing to their livelihoods.”

Minister Costello also visited an Agricultural Business Centre in Maforki and met representatives from smallholder farmers groups’ in Momoya Village.

Press Office

The Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, today witnessed the dispatch of an Irish Aid shipment of shelter, water and sanitation equipment to help thousands of vulnerable refugees in West Africa who have been affected by the severe food crisis in the Sahel region.

The Minister made the announcement as he toured the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Accra, Ghana during his official visit to three countries in West Africa to see the impact of Ireland’s aid programme this week.

The Ghana depot is part of a wider UNHRD international network, in which Ireland stores emergency humanitarian equipment such as shelter, water and sanitation, and health care supplies for rapid dispatch to disaster areas.

Minister Costello said:

“Fifteen million people in the Sahel Region of West Africa are at serious risk of hunger following this year’s disappointing rainy season. Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal are worst-hit, with the UN estimating that more than $1 billion is needed to respond to the urgent needs of affected communities.

“As the crisis in the Sahel region deepens, more than 160,000 refugees in northern Mali have fled the ongoing conflict between government and rebels forces. They are now in camps in Burkina Faso, whose own people are also facing the full brunt of the food crisis. The supplies of tents, blankets, mosquito nets and water storage equipment which Ireland is sending today will be used by Plan Ireland to help thousands of Malian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes.

“Ireland has moved quickly to respond to the emergency in the Sahel region. Since the beginning of this year I have authorised more than €9 million in funding to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts there, including €4.25million in funding to the UN and agencies which I announced in May.

During his visit, Minister Costello also authorised €200,000 in funding to support the ongoing operational costs of the UN depot in Accra.

“This depot, which is the UN’s main supply base for the West Africa region, plays an important role in Ireland’s Rapid Response Initiative. It enables us to react faster and more effectively to humanitarian emergencies when they occur in West Africa. The €200,000 in funding will contribute to the ongoing operational costs of the depot and assist in the completion of a training facility.

“In 2011 Ireland availed of the services of the UN hub network for emergencies including the food crisis in Somalia and Kenya, refugee crises in Syria and North Africa (Libya), and natural disasters in the Philippines and Turkey. 2012 has already proven to be a challenging year for those of us involved in emergency relief operations and we envisage that our pre-positioned stocks will continue to form a vital component of Ireland’s humanitarian response capacity.”

Ireland holds approximately €400,000 worth of stocks at the depot in Accra, including tents, blankets, plastic sheeting, soap, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, large water tanks and jerry cans.

Following his visit to the UNHRD the Minister will travel to Liberia where he will visit programmes funded by Irish Aid, before returning

Common indicators and guidelines for environmental assessments will lead to shared understanding of environmental impacts, better policy making

4 July 2012, Rome - A new FAO-led partnership is looking to improve how the environmental impacts of the livestock industry are measured and assessed, a necessary first step in improving the sustainability of this important food production sector.

Livestock-raising and the consumption of animal products make a crucial contribution to the economic and nutritional well-being of millions of people around the world - particularly in developing countries.

Yet, as the global consumption of meat, dairy products and eggs continues to rise, increasing attention is being paid to the livestock sector's environmental performance - such as the efficiency with which it uses scarce natural resources, its impact on water resources, and how it contributes to climate change.

At the recent Rio+20 sustainable development conference, governments agreed on the necessity of making agricultural production more sustainable, and stressed in particular the need to shift to more sustainable livestock production systems.

Currently, many different methods are being used to measure and assess the environmental impacts of animal raising, making it difficult to compare results and set priorities for the continuous improvement of environmental performance along supply chains.

"We must establish a shared understanding of how to assess the environmental performance of the livestock sector," said Pierre Gerber, a Senior FAO livestock policy officer. "The goal is to improve that performance, and create more sustainable forms of production that will continue to provide food and income. To do that, we need reliable quantitative information on key environmental parameters along livestock supply chains, as an evidence base from which to drive improvements."

Collaborative effort

FAO and governmental, private-sector, and nongovernmental partners will work together on a number of fronts to strengthen the science of environmental benchmarking of livestock supply chains.

Activities planned for the initial three-year phase of the project include:

• Establishing science-based methods and guidelines on how to quantify livestock's carbon footprint, covering various types of livestock operations and rearing systems;
• Creating a database of greenhouse gas emission factors generated for the production of different kinds of animal feed - feed production and use offer significant opportunities for reducing livestock emissions.
• Developing a methodology for measuring other important environmental pressures, such as water consumption and nutrient losses.
• Initiating a communications campaign to promote use of the partnership's methodologies and findings.

Among the founding members of the partnership are: the governments of France, Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand, The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC), the European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry (FEDIOL), the International Dairy Federation, (IDF) the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), the International Egg Commission (IEC) the International Poultry Council (IPC), the International Federation for Animal Health (IFAH), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

That core membership is expected to expand over the coming months.

The partnership Secretariat is based at FAO.

The imperative of sustainability

FAO estimates that demand for livestock products will continue to intensify over the decades to come. Meat consumption is projected to rise nearly 73 percent by 2050; dairy consumption will grow 58 percent over current levels.

"This continued growth in demand will be occurring within the context of increasing competition for finite and sometimes dwindling natural resources, additional challenges posed by climate change, and the imperative of making food production much more sustainable," said Henning Steinfeld, Chief of FAO's Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch. "We need to safeguard this important food sector, and improving the efficiency of its use of natural resources and bettering its performance in terms of sustainability is key."

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Photo requests: (+39) 06 570 53082 / 53393 or Photo-Library@fao.org Video material/b-roll: (+39) 06 570 55980 or Radio-and-TV@fao.org Audio clips: (+39) 06 570 53223RSS feed of FAO news releases FAO's online newsroom Follow FAO on TwitterAdditional tools

• An overwhelming majority of Iraqi refugees 91.6% of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Syria are from Iraq. The Government of Syria, which has continuously implemented a generous policy towards the stay of Iraqi refugees, estimates that the country hosts about one million Iraqis. 64.6% come from the region of Baghdad alone and 62.4% sought refuge in Syria five or more years ago. 35% of the 27,681 families registered are female-headed households.

• Several thousand non-Iraqi refugees UNHCR provides protection and assistance to 8,005 non-Iraqi refugees and asylum-seekers. Their situation remains precarious however as UNHCR documentation, which is frequently the only document they have, does not suffice by itself to legitimate their presence in Syria.

• An urban refugee operation Apart from a few hundred individuals, all persons registered with UNHCR live in urban areas, mainly Damascus and its suburbs. The camp-based refugees are Palestinians who fled Iraq and now live in Al Hol camp in north-eastern Syria.

• A high proportion of refugees with special needs 36,000 individuals (or 37.6% of the overall refugee population) have special needs and require targeted support, including 33,634 Iraqis (38.3% of Iraqi registered population) and 2,366 non-Iraqis (29.5%).

More than 30 Cork households affected by the June floods have already been assisted by the Irish Red Cross’ Cork Floods Appeal.

Following the flooding on June 28th the Irish Red Cross launched an appeal to aid those affected. Donal Forde, Secretary General of the Society, said today, “People have responded generously to the Irish Red Cross Cork Floods appeal and as of July 14th the total received was already €40,000.”

“Within just a week of the floods we were able to release the first cash grants. To date we have distributed approximately €29,400 between 43 households. By working closely with the Community Welfare Service within the Department of Social Protection to quickly identify the neediest and ensure that they received support as soon as it was possible.” said Forde.

Forde stressed that affected households can still apply for assistance, “We would continue to urge those affected by the flood to apply for assistance from the Irish Red Cross Cork Floods Appeal via their local Community Welfare Office.“

With the announcement by the Government today that they will release funding to assist those affected, the Irish Red Cross is no longer actively soliciting donations for the Cork Floods Appeal, but can still accept donations from members of the public who still wish to give. These will continue to be forwarded on to those affected.

END

Note to editor:

Anyone who still wishes to donate can still do so online at www.redcross.ie or by calling 1850 50 70 70

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD, today announced €3 million in life-saving assistance to Somalia during a visit to the capital, Mogadishu. The funding will provide food, shelter and other vital assistance to thousands of Somalis affected by conflict and hunger.

Today’s mission coincided with the one-year anniversary of the UN’s declaration of famine in Somalia in July 2011. The Tánaiste is the first Irish Minister to travel to Somalia in more than two decades.

Speaking after his visit, the Tánaiste said:

“Somalia is one of the poorest and most insecure environments in the world. Our ongoing assistance is saving lives every day. The funding I announced today will help our United Nations and NGO partners to scale up their vital assistance to the millions of vulnerable Somalis whose lives are in jeopardy as a result of war and starvation. We are committed to supporting them as they strive to build a better future for their families and their country.

While progress has been made over the past year since famine was declared, the gains are now at grave risk of being reversed by yet another poor rainy season and a late harvest. Those who will be hardest hit over the coming months are the 1.4 million Somalis who have been displaced by drought and conflict. They are now balancing on a knife-edge, dependent on a good harvest to keep food prices low and to remain alive.”

The €3 million is in addition to almost €30 million in emergency and long-term development funding which Irish Aid has provided to UN and aid agencies operating in Somalia over the past five years

During his visit, the Tánaiste saw programmes implemented by the UN and aid agencies including Concern, with funding provided by the Irish Government through Irish Aid. He visited emergency feeding centres at camps for displaced by the decades-long conflict as well as a primary school, which was destroyed during the civil war, but has been rebuilt with Irish Aid support.

The Tánaiste also held a short meeting with Somali Prime Minister, Dr Abdiweli Mohamen Ali.

Speaking from Mogadishu, the Tánaiste said that the timing of the visit – in advance of next year’s Irish Presidency of the EU – offered an excellent opportunity to galvanise international action on Somalia, which is one of the most protracted and complex humanitarian crises anywhere in the globe.

“Ireland will play a leading role in raising humanitarian issues over the course of our EU Presidency next year. We have a long and distinguished history of humanitarian engagement, not least in Somalia. I was proud to travel here today to see how Ireland has assisted families in need of food, water and shelter, principally through Irish NGOs such as Concern and Trócaire, who have worked here for over twenty years with the support of the Irish public and the Government.

Many will remember the historic visit here in 1992 by President Mary Robinson, who appealed to the international community to respond urgently to the tragedy that was unfolding at that time. Sadly, decades of conflict and famine mean that millions of Somalis continue to face untold hardship, hunger and suffering, with many relying on international assistance just to stay alive.”

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, today announced €50,000 in funding for the Mater Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. The hospital, which was opened by Irish Sisters of Mercy, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The funding will support the hospital’s programme to provide cardiac operations for disadvantaged children in Kenya and its HIV outreach programme in the slums of Nairobi.

Unveiling a plaque at the hospital to mark the anniversary the Tánaiste said:

“The Mater Hospital, which was opened by the Sisters of Mercy of Ireland 50 years ago, provides free quality healthcare to the poorest people in Kenya. This includes, heart surgery for children who otherwise would have little hope of living a full life and HIV services to people living in nearby slums.

Today I met the children who have benefited from these life-saving heart operations. I saw the work of Sr. Dr. Marian Dolan, who has worked tirelessly for many years so that disadvantaged children can receive this critical care. I am very pleased to announce funding of €25,000 which will fund cardiac operations for Kenyan children whose families cannot afford them.

The Mater Comprehensive Care Clinic provides HIV healthcare to over 3,000 patients in the Makuru slums of Nairobi. I had the humbling experience of visiting some of her patients in their homes and seeing how this programme assists them to live with dignity. Irish Aid has provided almost €53,000 to this programme over the past two years. I am pleased today to announce a further €25,000 for this programme

08/26/2012 14:46 GMT

NIAMEY, 26 août 2012 (AFP) - Un premier vol d'aide humanitaire, apportée par l'Irlande, est arrivé dimanche au Niger pour secourir les personnes sinistrées par les graves inondations qui ont fait au moins 44 morts depuis juillet.

Arrivé à Niamey, "l'avion transporte plus de 35 tonnes de tentes, de moustiquaires, de jerricanes et de couvertures", a indiqué à la presse Abdou Labo, le ministre nigérien de l'Intérieur, qui a remercié l'Irlande pour son aide.

"Il s'agit du premier vol d'aide humanitaire, d'autres vont suivre", a affirmé la représentante du Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM) au Niger, Denise Brown.

L'aide a été acheminée à bord d'un cargo affrété par le PAM, elle est destinée en priorité aux sinistrés de la région de Dosso (sud), la plus touchée par les inondations, selon l'agence onusienne.

Les inondations ont tué au moins 44 personnes selon l'ONU, et fait plus de 340.000 sinistrés selon Niamey. "Il semble que le bilan se soit alourdi, nous devons être à 56 ou 58 morts, mais cela reste à confirmer", a déclaré à l'AFP un officiel nigérien.

Le Niger a lancé cette semaine un appel à l'aide internationale en faveur des sinistrés des inondations, causées par de fortes pluies depuis juillet dans le pays et une récente crue exceptionnelle du fleuve Niger à Niamey.

Le gouvernement, qui a aussi appelé les Nigériens à la solidarité, a organisé samedi soir un téléthon à Niamey, mais le montant de la somme amassée n'a pas encore été communiqué.

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