Logistics expert to help Georgian conflict victims

A member of the Government’s Rapid Response Corps is being despatched to Georgia to help victims of the conflict with Russia.

Logistics expert Anthony Taylor has already worked in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami and in Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake.

Mr Taylor, who also has experience in Lebanon and the Congo, will work as a Logistics Officer with Unicef.

Junior foreign affairs minister Peter Power attended a emergency meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels last week where he said Ireland was ready to help with both financial aid and trained personnel.

Funding of 100,000 euro has already been provided to assist the relief effort of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Irish Aid allocated €500,000 to to Georgia for 2008.

Mr Power said the conflict has had a devastating impact on the civilian population of Georgia and tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes.

“I am very pleased that a member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps will contribute to the relief effort. I spoke to Anthony this morning to wish him well in his important assignment,” said Mr Power.

The minister urged all parties to the conflict in Georgia to fulfil their agreed commitments under the six point plan prepared by the EU Presidency.

“It is particularly important at this time that access for humanitarian workers and supplies is facilitated to all conflict affected areas without delay,” he added.

Mr Taylor is the 23rd member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps to be deployed. Other countries in which members of the Corps have worked during 2008 include Ethiopia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile the Department of Foreign Affairs is still advising against all travel to Georgia and the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Officials urged Irish citizens living in Georgia to leave as soon as possible, preferably through the borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

International football body Fifa cancelled next month’s football fixture between the Republic of Ireland and Georgia in Tbilisi and is looking for an alternative venue.