€4.83m donation to food scheme
He told the opening of a global meeting for senior WFP staff in Dublin that this year’s donation is a 9% increase on last year.
“There is no bigger and more basic challenge facing us than the fight against hunger,” he said.
A multilateral aid programme, the WFP, unlike most organisations in the UN, operates on the basis of voluntary contributions pledged at irregular intervals.
The WFP provides food aid primarily to low-income, food deficit countries, to assist in the implementation of economic and social development projects and to meet the relief needs of victims of natural and other disasters.
Ireland was the 18th largest donor to WFP in 2003, with a total contribution of €9.65 million (€4.43 million from the Department of Agriculture and Food and €5.22 million from Development Co-operation Ireland). In per capita terms, Ireland was the 10th largest donor to WFP.
Mr Walsh said Ireland greatly values the work of the WFP in helping the world’s hungry poor.
The funding provided by the Department of Agriculture and Food comprises Ireland’s obligation of €1.5 million under the 1999 Food Aid Convention and an additional voluntary contribution of €3.3 million to support the emergency and relief activities of WFP.
He said this funding is provided as multilateral aid, which is welcomed by WFP as it enables them to operate independently.
