Annual Report 2018
2018 saw rapid geopolitical change and uncertainty continue to impact the operation of the rules-based international order. Against this backdrop the Government renewed its commitment to international peace, security and development with the June 2018 publication of Global Ireland: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025.
This is an ambitious statement of the Government’s intention to refresh and expand the scope and impact of Ireland’s worldwide engagements, including international development, by 2025. Early demonstrations of this ambition included the opening of an Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, and the strengthening of the Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to reinforce Ireland’s engagement with the African Union.
This ambition was further reinforced in the October budget, which increased the ODA allocation for 2019 to €816 million, the sixth successive annual increase with volumes now one third larger than 2014.
2018 humanitarian response in numbers:
- Membership of the Rapid Response Register was refreshed during the year, with 18 specialists deployed in 10 countries
- Ireland continues to support NGO partners in their responses to humanitarian crises, and to develop projects to enhance resilience and improve livelihoods, including access to education in emergencies, in vulnerable communities in 28 countries
- Ireland’s cumulative support to the Syria crisis response since 2012 reached over €100 million
- In 2018, Ireland contributed over €190 million to EU development cooperation instruments.
- Underlining Ireland’s commitment to global education, we pledged in 2018 to invest at least €250 million of overseas development assistance in education over the next five years, with a strong focus on girls’ education.