First Meeting of the Hunger Task Force

“Because of our history, Ireland can rightly claim to empathise with those who are suffering from disease, poverty and hunger every day around the globe. But empathy is not enough. Our actions must speak louder than our words.”

An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D.

The Irish Aid White Paper launched in September 2006 identified Hunger and Food Security as key elements of the global development challenge and made a commitment to establish a Hunger Task Force. The Task Force draws together Irish and International expertise to examine the particular contribution Ireland can make to tackle the root causes of food insecurity, particularly in Africa. The first meeting of the Task Force took place today at Iveagh House. The meeting was chaired by former Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh.

Welcoming members of the Task Force to Dublin, the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr Micheal Kitt T.D., said that this was an issue to which he attached particular priority;

“This Task Force forms a significant part of our contribution towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger and global poverty by 2015. I am delighted we have been able to put together such a distinguished panel and I wish them well as they begin their important and challenging task”.

Note to Editors:

The aim of the Task Force is to identify the additional, appropriate and effective contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger and thus contribute to the achievement of the First UN Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty and hunger by 2015. Full terms of reference for the Hunger Task Force can be read at www.irishaid.gov.ie.

The Task Force will meet a number of times to carry out a thorough analysis of the current global challenge of hunger and food insecurity. Against that background, it will review Ireland’s aid programme to examine the extent to which Irish Aid is addressing food security and hunger through its partnerships with development agencies and organisations (the UN, NGOs and others) and through its own bilateral programmes.

The Task force will work to present recommendations on where the opportunities and necessary resources exist for Ireland to strengthen its own programmes and partners and will suggest actions whereby Ireland can give practical leadership internationally on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal on hunger.

Hunger Task Force

Chair:  

Mr. Joe Walsh                                      Former Irish Minister for Agriculture

Members:

Ms Nancy Aburi                                    Self Help International

Dr. Pamela K. Anderson                       Director General, International Potato Centre, Lima, Peru

Mr. Tom Arnold                                     C.E.O. CONCERN

Bono (Paul Hewson)                            Prominent advocate on development issues      

Kevin Farrell                                         Director of World Food Programme, Zimbabwe

Professor Michael Gibney                     Professor of Food & Health at the College

                                                            of Life Sciences, University College Dublin

Professor Lawrence Haddad                Institute of Development Studies, UK

Mr Justin Kilcullen,                                Director, TROCAIRE

Professor Denis Lucey                         U.C.C. Chairman of Gorta

Mr. Aidan O’Driscoll                              Assistant Secretary General, Department of Agriculture &

                                                            Food

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala                     Former Minister for Finance, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Professor Jeffrey Sachs                       Columbia University, New York

Dr Josette Sheeran                              Executive Director, World Food Programme, Rome

Ms. Sheila Sisulu                                  Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme

Secretary:

Mr. Brendan McMahon                          Director, Emergency & Recovery, Irish Aid