Mogadishu, 29 September, 2022 / 9:09 pm (ACI Africa).
The leadership of the overseas development agency of the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, Trócaire, has welcomed the budget increase of Irish government’s overseas grant as well as an “additional immediate allocation” for addressing the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa region.
In a Tuesday, September 27 report, Trócaire acknowledges with appreciation “the €177 million (US$18.2 million) increase in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and the additional immediate allocation of €30 million (US$32.2 million) in response to the extreme hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa announced in today’s Budget."
“We welcome the increase which brings the total in overseas development assistance to €1.22 billion,” the report quotes Trócaire Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Caoimhe de Barra, as saying in reference to upward ODA budget adjustment that Ireland's Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, announced September 27.
“Investment in global humanitarian and development needs is vital,” Ms. De Barra says.
She explains, “Countries in the Global South face escalating humanitarian crises due to climate change, the economic impact of Covid – 19, conflict, gender inequality, unsustainable and inequitable global food systems, and the failure of international community to live up to their commitments on overseas aid.”