Minister of State Brophy announces funding of €500,000 to Afghanistan Earthquake
Press release
28 June 2022The Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Mr. Colm Brophy, T.D., today announced that funding of €500,000 will be provided to UNICEF to support their emergency response to the devastating earthquake that struck Afghanistan on 22 June 2022.
Announcing the funding, Minister Brophy said:
“I wish to express my sincere condolences to the victims in Paktika and Khost provinces of Afghanistan, who have lost their loved ones, homes and livelihoods. Ireland stands in steadfast solidarity with the Afghan people who continue to suffer the consequences of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. This natural disaster once again demonstrates why the Afghan people so desperately need the international community’s sustained humanitarian support.”
Even before this latest tragedy struck Afghanistan, nearly 20 million people, or half of the Afghan population, face acute hunger, with 3.5 million people displaced from their homes.
Minister Brophy added:
“This half a million euro which I am announcing today is in addition to €3.25 million Irish Aid funding already disbursed to partners in Afghanistan this year. I would also emphasise the importance of Ireland’s core, pre-positioned funding to UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations. This enabled our humanitarian partners to respond immediately, including to support the search and rescue effort.”
Of UNICEF, Minister Brophy said:
“UNICEF is a key partner of Irish Aid in Afghanistan and was one of the first responders to this earthquake, deploying mobile health and nutrition teams immediately. I believe that UNICEF are well-placed to provide the multi-sectoral support urgently need by affected communities, including medical care, shelter, education and child protection.”
Notes to editors
- The UN has launched a three-month multi-sectoral emergency appeal, within the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan, requesting $110.3m to scale-up the response to 362,000 earthquake-affected people in Paktika and Khost provinces.
- Ireland has significantly increased its support to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, increasing our humanitarian aid fivefold over the course of 2021, from €1.1 million to over €5.3 million.
- In 2022, Ireland has provided over €3.75 million to Afghanistan. This funding has been allocated to the OCHA Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, UNHCR, Concern Worldwide, HALO Trust, Christian Aid and most recently UNICEF.
- Ireland also contributes to global funds and key agencies active in Afghanistan, including the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan since August 2021.This prepositioned funding ensures that our humanitarian partners can mobilise immediately.
- Since 2017, Ireland has provided €7.2 million in core funding to UNICEF annually. Ireland also provides funding to UNICEF through bilateral and humanitarian programmes, including €1million to Ukraine this year. Under the Standby Partner programme Irish Aid has also deployed 29 Rapid Responders to work with UNICEF in recent years.
ENDS
Press Office
28 June 2022