Government in Iraq must be effective and inclusive

IRELAND has donated €12.8m in funding for humanitarian aid to causes for Iraqi citizens since 2006, the latest figures reveal.

Over €3m has gone directly to an international NGO called Mines Advisory Group (MAG), which is the lead humanitarian demining group operating in northern Iraq. The remaining funds have mainly beenallocated for UN relief work, care for refugees and displaced families, education, healthcare and emergency appeals.

Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore describes how Irish taxpayers’ money has directly benefited ordinary Iraqi lives. Mr Gilmore also says terrorists continue to attempt to destabilise the war-ravaged country but he pledges that Ireland will continue to aid Iraqis where it can.

“Ireland’s programme of assistance in Iraq commenced in the early 2000s when the country was suffering one of the most serious displacement crises in the world. It was in recognition of the scale of this humanitarian emergency that Irish Aid decided to commence funding for humanitarian interventions in the country — thisincluded support to the UN High Commission on Refugees for the provision of services to internally displaced people, as well as support to humanitarian mine action programmes and the provision of basic healthcare services. These programmes were of direct and immediate benefit to millions of ordinary Iraqis. They helped to stabilise the humanitarian situation and allowed the government and people of Iraq to set about the longer-term goal of rebuilding their country.

“Development in Iraq is now in a different phase and Irish Aid is transitioning its funding accordingly. Funding of the Mines Advisory Group will come to a successful close at the end of 2012. In the six years of this programme, Irish Aid funding enabled MAG to clear almost 5 million square metres of suspected contaminated land and to safely remove and destroy over 7,769 dangerous devices.

“The deplorable loss of life on December 22 when bomb attacks in Baghdad killed more than 70 people show that violent terrorists are still determined to exploit the fragile political situation in Iraq. The Government and all political groups have to be more determined to build a stable future and an inclusive, democratic Iraq. Leaders have to honour their previous agreements and resolve their differences. The Iraqi government’s recent agreement to sign a partnership and cooperation agreement with the EU will allow us to play a more significant role in Iraq’s transition. Ensuring that government in Iraq is both effective and inclusive is the best way to defy the continuing violence and improve the security situation so that the people of Iraq can lead normal lives, rebuild their economy and provide for their families.”

* This series was carried out with the help of the Simon Cumbers Media Fund, supported by Irish Aid