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The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D. and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Joe McHugh T.D. have today (Saturday) announced €6 million in support for the severe humanitarian crises in Yemen and in Iraq.
Ireland will provide €4 million to the UN Humanitarian Pooled Fund in Yemen in response to the needs of nearly 19 million Yemeni – two thirds of the population – affected by two years of civil war.  In February this year, the UN appealed for $2.1billion to avert famine for 12 million people, over 7 million of whom did not know where their next meal was coming from.  Ireland is now responding to this call for assistance. 
Minister Flanagan said:
‘The scale of humanitarian need in the world today is unprecedented and with the severe situation in Syria in the world headlines, crises like that in Yemen are in danger of being forgotten. The UN has warned that Yemen is on the brink of famine - a famine caused, not by natural disaster or drought, but by conflict. It is crucial that the international community works together to alleviate the suffering of the people of Yemen through humanitarian assistance and working to support a peaceful solution to the conflict.’
Minister of State McHugh added:
‘The people of Yemen have suffered tremendously since the beginning of the conflict in 2015 and the ongoing fighting threatens to cut off millions of people from vital supplies of food and medicine. Their situation is critical and they need help urgently. The Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund can mobilise resources to UN agencies and NGOs on the ground to meet their needs quickly and effectively.’
In addition, €2 million will be provided to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund in response to the needs of almost 11 million Iraqi people who have been affected by the violence and conflict linked to the takeover of Iraqi territory by ISIL, and the counter-insurgency operation launched by the Iraqi Government and its allied forces. This pooled fund is managed by UNOCHA, who will disburse the funding to meet critical humanitarian needs in Iraq.
Minister Flanagan today said:
‘Displaced from their homes in difficult conditions; no access to clean water and proper sanitation; children unable to attend school for long periods - these are all realities facing millions of people in Iraq today. Our humanitarian assistance will provide help to some of those in need, including people who continue to be affected by the ongoing fighting in Mosul’
Minister of State McHugh added:
‘Ireland’s funding to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund will provide assistance to people affected by the crisis in Iraq including families and children, who are often the worst affected by conflict. Providing funding through Pooled Funds means that the most urgent needs can be met quickly, be they for food, shelter, health or protection for the most vulnerable.’
 

Notes to the editor:

• Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas assistance programme. It is managed by the Development  Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information visit www.irishaid.ie  
• Ireland’s new Humanitarian Assistance Policy outlines how Irish Aid saves and protects lives, alleviates suffering and maintains human dignity before, during and in the aftermath of humanitarian crises.
• Ireland provided €4.1 million in humanitarian funding to the crisis in Yemen in 2016, including €4 million to the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund. In 2015 Ireland provided over €1.8 million, including $1 million to the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund and €750,000 to the ICRC.
• In 2016 Ireland provided €2.5 million in funding to the crisis in Iraq through the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund. Ireland provided almost €1.7 million in humanitarian support to Iraq in 2015, including €1 million to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund.
• In 2016 Ireland also provided 80 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies to Iraq. The supplies comprised over 34,000 relief items, worth €450,000, and was part Irish Aid pre-positioned supplies for use in emergencies and humanitarian crises.
• The OCHA Humanitarian Pooled Funds allocate funding in-country to a broad range of partners, including UN organisations, and national and international NGOs. The Pooled Funds form part of the Humanitarian Response Plan for each country and the funding is allocated to meet critical humanitarian needs ranging from food assistance to protection to livelihoods support.