Ireland Announces €2.5 million Support for Mali Humanitarian Crisis

An additional €2.5 million in support for the Malian humanitarian crisis has been announced.

Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello announces further Irish support of €2.5 million for Mali humanitarian crisis

The Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, will today pledge an additional €2.5 million from the Government in support of the humanitarian and recovery effort in Mali.

The Minister is attending a major international Donor Conference on Mali in Brussels today, May 15. The Conference, which is jointly hosted by the EU and the French Government, will be attended by representatives of more than 80 countries and international organisations to mobilise international funding for Mali.

Speaking in advance of his address to the Conference, Minister Costello said:

”I am pleased to announce today that Ireland can immediately pledge additional assistance of €2.5 million in support of the humanitarian response and recovery effort in Mali over the next two years.  Almost 750,000 people in Mali need immediate assistance if we are to avoid a further deepening of this humanitarian crisis.

“The funding I am pledging today will support refugees and other civilians affected by the conflict and help communities rebuild their lives in the years ahead.  Ireland is also committed to supporting international and domestic efforts to prepare for elections and to monitor human rights, working in close partnership with other donors and civil society.”

The funding announced today is in addition to €1.8m already allocated by Ireland for humanitarian assistance in Mali in 2013.

Referring to the broader response to the Mali crisis, the Minister said:

”Ireland fully supports the EU’s comprehensive approach in Mali, working through political and diplomatic engagement, security assistance as well as development cooperation and humanitarian action to address the root causes and the effects of the instability in Mali.  We also support the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolutions which have been adopted, including most recently UNSCR 2100, which authorises the establishment of the new UN Peacekeeping Operation, MINUSMA.

“Ireland, as EU Presidency,  is proud to have played a role in the international efforts that have brought much needed stability and security for the people of Mali, especially by facilitating discussion and action at EU level.  We are proud also to contribute trainers and HQ personnel to the EU Training Mission which is working to strengthen and reform the Malian army, including by providing important training in human rights.”

Press Office

14 May 2013

 For further information contact Fionnuala Quinlan, Press Office, Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 01-408 2653 or 087-909 9975

 Notes to editor

• Irish Aid is the Government’s programme for overseas development.  It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  Further information is available at www.irishaid.ie. 
• Almost 750,000 people in Mali need immediate assistance. Almost 500,000 people have been displaced since March 2012, many of them in southern and central Mali, where they and the communities hosting them are still coping with the impact of last year’s regional food and nutrition crisis.
• Today’s conference is the culmination of a series of international meetings which have shored up international support for Mali and maintained pressure on the Malian authorities to fulfil commitments on political transition, reform of the armed forces and the implementation of a national dialogue and reconciliation process. These commitments were included in the Transition Roadmap approved at the end of January.
• This pledge of €2.5 million is in addition to more than €1.8 million already provided by Ireland, through Irish Aid, in 2013 for those worst affected by the crisis in Mali. 
• The €1.8 million  is supporting  the World Food Programme to prevent and treat malnutrition in children, pregnant women and nursing mothers; Plan Ireland to provide education and protection to families who have been displaced by conflict and Christian Aid to support displaced people and their host families.
• In 2012, Ireland provided funding of €9.25 million for emergency food, water and healthcare to communities affected by the crisis across the Sahel region of Africa. This funding was channelled through UN agencies, the Red Cross movement and NGO partners.