Nation’s aid efforts praised

IRISH efforts at reducing hunger in the world were praised by Sheila Sisulu, deputy executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian organisation.

Ms Sisulu commended the Irish public and the Government for sticking to the target of increasing development aid to 0.7% of national wealth by 2012. “If other governments would follow the example of the leadership by the Irish Government we and the hungry children of the world would sleep easy,” she said.

She also noted Ireland was a strong contributor to the World Food Programme of “untied” cash — aid that does not come with conditions, such as requiring the money be spent on Irish products.

But she also warned that the number of hungry people in the world would increase to about one in seven of the population next year. Coupled with the growing numbers needing food aid, the rising price of food on world markets had put immense pressure on the WFP, she said and to take account, the organisation’s budget had to increase from $3 billion (€2.2bn) to $6bn (€4.4bn) this year.

Rising oil prices had also hit poor countries, she said, citing the example of farmers in Kenya who were planting only a third the normal number of crops because diesel and fertiliser prices had risen 400%.

* www.wfp.org

* www.concern.net