Launch of One World, One Future

Our new policy One World, One Future: Ireland’s Policy for International Development was launched last week by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D, and the Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., today signed a three-year Strategic Partnership 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.

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 WFP for the next three years.

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., today announced €3.8 million in funding for UN agencies and NGOs to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The funding will provide emergency food, water, healthcare and protection to millions of vulnerable people who are caught up in the long-running conflict, which has claimed millions of lives.

Announcing the funding today, Minister Costello said:

The Government has approved €1 million in emergency funding for the Red Cross relief operation in Japan.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., said the decision followed an appeal yesterday by the Japanese Government for European Union assistance in responding to earthquake and tsunami.

“Japan is effectively dealing with three crises in one, with the earthquake, tsunami and the ongoing nuclear emergency,” the Tánaiste said.

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., today announced that Ireland is to provide almost 100 tonnes of emergency shelter supplies to assist thousands of families left homeless by conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Minister Costello said:

Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, today announced funding of €600,000 to support demining and bomb disposal work in Vietnam over the next three years.

The funding will allow for the clearance of unexploded bombs and ordnance left over from the Vietnam War. Some 40 years after the end of the war, Vietnamese farmers and children are still being killed or injured by unexploded bombs.

Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello today announced that Ireland will dispatch emergency supplies to assist civilians who have been forced to flee the ongoing violence in Syria.

The shipment of tents and blankets will be used by Syrian refugees in Jordan, including in the Za'atari refugee camp, which Minister Costello visited in August. According to the Jordanian Government, more than 200,000 Syrian refugees have now sought shelter in Jordan, many of whom are living in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Announcing the decision, Minister Costello said:

AMMAN, 27 August - Minister of State, Joe Costello, T.D., today announced an additional €1.5 million ($1.9) in life-saving assistance to help address the devastating humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Syria. This will bring Irish Aid's total contribution to date to over €2 million.

The Minister made his announcement during a visit to the UN run Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan.

The Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., met yesterday with members of the organisation ‘Syrian Irish Humanitarian Aid’ to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria and the international humanitarian response.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Costello said: