Minister O'Donnell T.D., approves £200,000 in humanitarian assistance to Tanzania
Minister O'Donnell T.D., approves £200,000
in humanitarian assistance to Tanzania
"Tanzania is an important partner country for Irish Aid and we are helping the Government and people to cope with the effects of the worst drought for fifteen years", said Ms. Liz O'Donnell T.D., the Minister of State for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights, when she approved a grant of £200,000 today for emergency food aid to Tanzania. This funding will be channelled through the World Food Programme and is in response to an urgent appeal from the President of Tanzania, Mr Benjamin Mkapa, to donor countries to provide immediate contributions.
Note for Editors:
Due to poor rainfall, Tanzania is enduring a severe drought and as a result can produce only 88% of the food it requires for 1997/98. The total deficit is estimated at 916,000 tons of cereal. On 15 September 1997, the President of Tanzania declared a national food emergency and banned food exports in order to conserve stocks. Up to three million people (10% of Tanzania's population) are affected by the present crisis , half of whom (1.4 million people) will require immediate food aid from now up to end March 1998, according to the World Food Programme.
This year, Ireland has already contributed £100,000 to the World Food Programme for emergency food aid for Tanzania, as well as £150,000 for the purchase of seeds. These amounts are additional to Ireland's ongoing development cooperation programme in Tanzania, which is focused on poverty reduction and helping people to meet their basic needs. The 1997 budget for this programme is £6.5 million and it has grown significantly in recent years.
