Ireland has signed a 3-year partnership with the World Food Programme which will see us give some €21 million to the UN body.
The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello signed the agreement with the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin in Dublin. The WFP is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.
The agreement sets out shared objectives in the area of humanitarian assistance, as well as committing Ireland to providing a minimum of €7 million a year to the WFP for the next 3 years.
The agreement was signed at Dublin Castle during the Hunger-Nutrition-Climate Justice Conference which is co-hosted by the government and the Mary Robinson Foundation.
The agreement formalises a long-standing relationship between Ireland and the WFP. In addition to the core contribution of a minimum of €7 million a year the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will also continue to provide funding in response to humanitarian emergences.
'Resonates strongly with Irish people'
Minister Coveney said "Given our history, hunger and famine are issues which resonate strongly with Irish people and I am proud that notwithstanding the recent downturn in our economy, we have been able to maintain our core contribution to the WFP at the same level in recent years".
"I was pleased to hear from Executive Director Cousin the valuable contribution which our funding is making to saving lives around the world" he added.
Executive Director Cousin said "This latest commitment of support for WFP's work on the frontlines of hunger underlines the steadfast support that Ireland and the Irish public have given to WFP over many years".
"We recognise that it is hard to give when times are tough at home but that makes this contribution all the more valuable to us as we continue our vital work among the world's hungry poor" she added.
Irish support to the WFP in 2012 amounted to €14 million, just under €10 million of which was provided by the Department of Agriculture.
On his way into the event this morning, Minister Costello outlined the importance of such agreements.
