State gives €814m to overseas projects

OVERSEAS projects received €814 million from Irish Aid last year, it wasannounced yesterday.

The State was ranked as the sixth most generous per capita aid donor in theworld, supporting developments in more than 90 countries.

Meanwhile, more than €140m went to NGOs and missionaries to support their initiatives to reduce poverty.

In response to natural disasters and complex emergencies Irish Aid providedover €100m in assistance to 40 countries to meet basic humanitarian and recovery needs following such events in 2006, a 47% rise on humanitarian relief funding in 2005.

The agency’s annual report for 2006, which centred on a commitment to tackle HIV/Aids, reported that it achieved its target of spending €100m on communicable diseases.

Launching the report, Minister of State for Overseas Development Michael Kitt said Ireland allocates a greater proportion of its overseas development aidto tackling HIV/Aids than any other EU country. “The struggle against HIV and Aids is central to the fight against global poverty.”

The report found the total donated was more than 0.5% of the state’s GrossNational Product, placing the country on course to reach the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid by 2012.