merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D, and the Minister for Development, Trade and North South Cooperation Seán Sherlock T.D., has signed a three-year Strategic Partnership Agreement with the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin. The WFP is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.
The agreement sets out shared objectives in the area of humanitarian assistance. It also commits the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to providing a minimum of €20 million a year to WFP for the next three years, a doubling of the previous annual contribution.
Minister Coveney explained “The WFP feeds 80 million of the most malnourished people in 75 countries. It also plays a significant role in the UN’s global campaign for zero hunger, and is at the forefront of dealing with the migration crisis. I am delighted that Ireland has doubled its funding commitment to WFP, and help provide the budget certainty required with this multi-annual agreement. I hosted an event in EXPO Milan last year to encourage other Governments to make similar advance commitments. This support is particularly necessary in the context of the current refugee crisis, where large parts of our funding will be targeted.”
Minister Sherlock said: “WFP is one of Ireland’s key partners and we greatly value their tireless work to eradicate hunger and tackle under-nutrition. In addition to the contribution from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides funding to WFP for their work in supporting vulnerable people in Syria, in crisis-hit areas of Africa, and in North Korea, as part of our strong commitment to ending global hunger. It should not be under-estimated, the impact that this agreement will have. ”
Executive Director Cousin said from Rome: “Today, Ireland reaffirms its role as one of WFP's most engaged and loyal partners as we work to achieve a Zero Hunger world. We are particularly grateful for the flexibility of Ireland’s annual commitment, which has been tripled with this new agreement and will enable WFP to assist the hungry poor and vulnerable more efficiently and effectively”

NOTE FOR EDITORS:
In addition to the core contribution of a minimum of €20 million a year, which will be funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to provide funding in response to humanitarian emergences.