Solidarity is not just a slogan — it is a lifeline

Ireland must continue steadfast support for those who need it instead of stepping back like our European neighbours

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025 - 01:00

Chris McElhinney

This week, as Trócaire launches its 2024 annual report, I reflect on the title chosen for this year's report: Climate, Conflict and Cuts. These three words have defined the past year for millions of people worldwide, and they define the challenges we must confront together.

In 2024, Trócaire supported over 2.13 million people across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. These numbers are not just statistics, they are stories of human resilience and dignity.

I think of farmers in the West Bank, where our partner Haqel won a legal case that increased Palestinian access to land by 15%. I think of communities in Honduras, where more than 1,000 hectares of land were secured as public property, reducing the threat of forced evictions.

I think of Halima in Somalia, forced from her home by drought, who rebuilt her life through a Trócaire-supported skills programme and now runs her own tailoring shop.

But for every story of progress, our report also highlights the scale of global crises. Nearly 1.5 million people were reached through emergency responses last year alone.

In Gaza, our partner MAP carried out life-saving operations despite devastating bombardment. Yet, nearly two million Palestinians are facing starvation, as a genocide continues to play out in front of our eyes, one of the largest seen for a century. Our partners have faced unimaginable obstacles in trying to reach those in need, yet they persist with courage and dignity.

In Sudan, a total of 24.6 million people (about half the population) are acutely food insecure, while famine has been declared in multiple parts of the country. Picture: Mustafa Younes via AP

This brutal war and the illegal occupation at its root have been condemned not only by international institutions, such as the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, but by every person of conscience.

The daily violations of international law cannot go unchecked. Justice demands accountability. We continue to call on our leaders to stand for peace, for rights and for the dignity of every human being.

While Gaza has rightly dominated the headlines, other conflicts have been all but ignored. Sudan is one such crisis. Amid conflict, displacement and famine, a total of 24.6 million people (about half the population) are acutely food insecure, while famine has been declared in multiple parts of the country.

In the Nuba Mountains, we saw almost one million people displaced in 2024. Trócaire's response, delivered through trusted local partners, has been bold, fast and life-saving. Seventeen clinics and dozens of outreach sites in the area remained open during famine conditions, thanks to the courage of our local partners.

We also cannot ignore the climate emergency. Last year was confirmed as one of the hottest on record, and its impact, as always, hit hardest on those least responsible for the crisis. Across 10 countries, Trócaire, with our partners, supported more than 268,000 people to adapt to climate change, protect ecosystems and secure food for their families.

We supported communities to restore over 900 hectares of degraded land in Ethiopia and Rwanda. In Sierra Leone, Trócaire supported more than 1,000 farmers in transitioning to sustainable agroecology.

The humanitarian needs have escalated, as international solidarity has diminished. Cuts to aid budgets across Europe, alongside drastic cuts in the United States that we face now in 2025, threaten to roll back hard-won progress.

Chris McElhinney: 'The steadfast support of the Irish public and Government through Irish aid stands out as a beacon of hope.'

In my role as head of humanitarian programmes with Trócaire, I have seen many crises unfold, but 2024 was a year that set the tone for what was to come this year.

However, here in Ireland, I take pride in a different story. The steadfast support of the Irish public and Government through Irish aid stands out as a beacon of hope. It shows that solidarity is not just a slogan — it is a lifeline.

As we look forward, our partners are, against all odds, continuing to support those in need. The work of my colleagues continues Ireland's tradition of reaching out a helping hand to all who need it.

For Trócaire, that looks like €420,000 raised by 387 Irish schools in support of Trócaire's work. Ninety in-person and online events that engaged 11,295 people and advocated for policy change on climate justice, human rights and overseas aid, to name a few. Its petitions signed, its politicians contacted, and protests attended.

This report is as much a reflection of the willingness of Irish people to continue to lead by example.   This report is both a testament to what can be achieved and a warning of what is at stake. Climate, conflict and cuts are testing our collective resolve. The question is whether Ireland will continue to step forward or, like many of its European neighbours, take a step back.