Economic issues
The Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York participates actively in the debates, conferences and other events related to economic issues which take place in the General Assembly throughout the year. Ireland co-ordinates with its EU partners on many of these issues and, where appropriate co-sponsors resolutions with other Member States of the General Assembly. The Second Committee is the principal centre of discussion and agreement upon resolutions relating to economic issues.
Development issues
Ireland has had an official development assistance programme since 1974. The Irish Government is committed to reaching the United Nation’s target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) on official Development Assistance by 2012.
Irish Aid is the Government of Ireland’s programme of assistance to developing countries. The Irish Aid programme has as its absolute priority the reduction of poverty, inequality and exclusion in developing countries. Irish Aid works in cooperation with governments in other countries, other donors, NGOs and international organisations, as part of the global effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These targets, agreed by the UN at a series of international summit meetings, identify some of the main causes of extreme poverty in today’s world and underpin the poverty reduction policies and activities of Irish Aid, and provide the context in which Irish Aid priority sectors are decided. These include education, health, agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, infrastructure and roads, trade, and good governance. Recognising that each sector cannot be tackled in isolation, Irish Aid's programme incorporates cross-sectoral strategies on gender, governance, HIV/AIDS, and the environment into all of its development activities.
Since its inception in 1974, the Irish Aid programme has had a strong geographic focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 80% of Ireland’s Overseas Development Aid goes to Africa. Under the bilateral part of its programme, Irish Aid operates intensive and wide-ranging country programmes in seven countries in Africa, namely Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Uganda and Malawi. Timor-Leste and Vietnam, both in Asia, are Ireland’s remaining programme countries.
Based on its own experience, and that of others, Irish Aid has identified four priority issues integral to poverty reduction, where attention must focus in order to increase the impact of poverty reduction, development effectiveness and quality assurance. These priority issues are: Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Environmental Sustainability and Good Governance. The White Paper on Irish Aid, published in September 2006, provides an overview of the principles that underpin the aid programme. It clearly sets forth the vision of the expansion of the programme, provides a framework to guide future expenditure and offers a clear benchmark against which Ireland’s performance can be measured. (link to White Paper: http://www.irishaid.gov.ie/whitepaper/ ).
A review of the White Paper was announced in June 2011, following a commitment set down in the current Programme for Government [hyperlink included]. The review is looking at the progress made by Irish Aid, and the changing national and international context. It will shape the policy direction for the coming years. The review will consist of a broad consultation with all stakeholders, including the general public, civil society, partner countries, the private sector and the Oireachtas (National Parliament). Download the consultation paper here (hyperlink included) and click here for the latest news on the review.
In pursuit of these objectives, the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York works closely with the funds and programmes which are headquartered in New York e.g. UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA to support activities by these organisations in the field, with a particular emphasis on work in the programme countries above.
Humanitarian issues
Each year natural disasters and complex emergencies bring suffering to millions of people across the world. Hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters alone claim an average of 60,000 lives each year. Irish Aid has as one of its key priorities the provision of support for developing countries suffering from natural disasters and other humanitarian emergencies. A significant proportion of Ireland’s assistance is channelled through the UN system, including through bodies such as UNICEF, and through the Central Emergency Response Fund, CERF.
The CERF is a stand-by fund established by the United Nations in 2005 to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts. The CERF allows the UN to react immediately when a disaster strikes by making funding available for life-saving activities to eligible agencies such as the UN and its funds, programmes, and specialized agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The CERF is managed, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, by the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) who is also the Head of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Ireland has been a strong supporter of the CERF since its establishment.
The Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York works closely with OCHA on matters related to the CERF and on the broader humanitarian agenda and with UNICEF and UNFPA on their humanitarian operations. Ireland’s aim in such work is to support the UN system in delivering assistance to victims of humanitarian emergencies.
The Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York is an active member of working groups dedicated to the consideration of humanitarian affairs. These are the OCHA Donor Support Group and the Humanitarian Liaison Working Group (HLWG). In 2011, the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations chaired the HLWG - a working group of Member States, UN agencies and others on current crisis and strategic themes.
