Annual Report 2017
In the past 25 years the number of people living in extreme poverty has more than halved and Ireland’s aid programme has played a significant role in delivering assistance where is it most needed.
During 2017 Ireland continued to play a leadership role in international development. Implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) began in earnest and we built on our tradition of generosity in response to increasing humanitarian need worldwide. Over the course of the year, Ireland’s development assistance helped over 130 countries around the globe, with a continued focus on key partners in Africa and on least-developed, fragile and conflict affected countries.
The efficacy of Ireland’s aid programme was recognised recently in research by the Overseas Development Institute’s which found that Ireland is the most efficient donor among those countries which target extreme poverty.
- In 2017, we provided over €180 million in humanitarian assistance in response to high profile appeals, forgotten crises and sudden onset disasters
- Through our funding to Irish NGO partners, Ireland provided humanitarian assistance to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain the dignity of over 1.5 million people affected by emergencies in 28 countries.
- In 2017, the Department deployed 7 airlifts carrying 356 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to our partner NGOs to help people affected by the refugee crises in South Sudan and Myanmar; by drought in Somalia; and by flooding and mudslides in Sierra Leone.
- We deployed 31 humanitarian experts as ‘surge capacity’ to UN partners’ response operations in 14 countries.
- Additional core funding of €26.75m was also provided to key humanitarian partners and to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund in 2017