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The Tánaiste, Simon Coveney, T.D., today announced further Irish support for the international Covid-19 response.

The Tánaiste said:

Today Ireland has made an additional €1 million available for the WHO’s programme of assistance to combat Covid-19 in Ethiopia, building on our long term support for the healthcare system in the country.  This brings to €11.5 million, Ireland’s support for the UN Covid-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

At today’s Alliance for Multilateralism meeting, I discussed with other Foreign Ministers the importance of a strong, coordinated international response to the collective challenge posed by Covid-19, in particular the threats posed to developing countries, those in conflict, those whose health systems are weak, and those coping with refugees and displaced persons.  We were all very conscious that those problems were our problems, as Covid-19 knows no borders.

We were agreed on the importance of a strong multilateral response, led by the United Nations, if the virus is to be contained and that immediate support was required for health systems in vulnerable countries.

Notes for Editors

1 – The Tánaiste attended the Alliance for Multilateralism meeting on 16 April, hosted by Germany.  The Alliance is an informal grouping of countries convinced that multilateralism founded on respect for international law is the only reliable guarantee for international stability and peace, and that the challenges should be solved through cooperation.

2 – Irish Aid has provided €6.8 million to date to the WHO portion of the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan, of a total €11.5 million.  The remainder has been channelled to UN agencies or through NGOs working on elements of the Response Plan.

3 – Irish Aid is also funding other elements of the international health response, including €15 million to the Global Fund for Aids, TB and Malaria and €3 million to the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization.  These organisations are working to identifying and scaling up the tools needed to fight Covid-19

4 – In addition to Ireland’s assessed contribution to the WHO (€1.68 million in 2020), Irish Aid will make an additional voluntary contribution of €1 million to respect of the ongoing work of the WHO.