Ahern pledges to meet UN aid target by 2012

Ireland is to meet the UN target of spending 0.7% of its Gross National Income on overseas development aid by 2012, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pledged tonight.

Mr Ahern told the UN Summit of World Leaders in New York that his government would triple the amount it devoted to aid and spend €6.5bn over the next seven years.

“Today I recommit Ireland to reaching the UN target of 0.7%,” he said.

“This will be achieved by 2012, three years earlier than the agreed EU target date of 2015.

“Given current economic projections this will mean a tripling of Ireland’s ODA above current levels.”

Mr Ahern said the Irish commitment was demanding but achievable and he insisted it would be met.

“By committing to the 0.7% target, Ireland will spend up to €8 billion helping to tackle poverty and alleviate poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries,” he said.

“By any standards this is a huge commitment on behalf of the Irish people.”

The Taoiseach also announced a significant increase in Ireland’s ODA in 2006 and 2007 to reach an interim target of 0.5% of GNI by 2007.

“As the first milestone on the way to reaching the UN target, I commit the Government to significantly increasing our ODA in the next two years, in order to reach an interim target of 0.5% of our GNP in 2007,” he said.

“This means that we will spend some €626m on ODA in that year.”

Mr Ahern said Ireland will double its spending on the fight against HIV/AIDS in poor countries to €81m per year under the new package.

The new ODA resources will strengthen Ireland’s ability to respond effectively to major humanitarian disasters and to deal with famine and hunger, he added.

The Taoiseach said Development Co-operation Ireland, the Government’s aid programme, would work closely with Irish industry and partner companies in Africa to promote economic growth, investment and technology transfer.

He told the world leaders, who have gathered to review the implementation of the UN Millennium Declaration and to consider major reforms of the UN, of the importance of meeting their commitments to the developing world.

“It is an affront to our common humanity, five years after the Millennium Summit, that 30,000 children die each day from easily preventable diseases, or that 100 million people go to bed hungry, or that 100 million children are not receiving a basic education,” he said.

“Ireland is not a silent witness to this continuing tragedy.”