African aid gets €10m boost

The Government today pledged €10m to support humanitarian work by relief agencies in Africa.

Minister of State for Development Co-operation Conor Lenihan announced the majority of the funding will go to Irish Non-Governmental Organisations such as Concern, Goal and Trocaire.

“This funding will go directly to feed and offer help to people in some of the worst humanitarian situations in Niger, Somalia, the Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Darfur, Malawi and Tanzania,” Mr Lenihan said.

“I am happy to support Irish NGOs in their work, which is often literally the difference between life and death for those they help.”

Mr Lenihan said the Government will provide €54m to Concern, Goal, Trocaire, Christian Aid Ireland and Self Help Development this year under its plan for predictable funding.

“Despite that fact that Goal and I often find ourselves on different sides of the argument about development assistance, we are both committed to the same goal of relieving suffering and distress and bringing development to the poorest countries in Africa,” he said.

“This is predictable funding on an unprecedented scale. It is one of the success stories of Irish Aid made possible by our commitment to increased funding.”