Minister McConalogue to lead international development mission to East Africa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, will lead a five-day international development mission to Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan beginning on Wednesday, March 13.

 The visit will underpin Ireland’s critical role as a leading donor to World Food Programme and continued engagement with the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The Donegal minister will visit various programmes which support humanitarian development with a focus on agriculture knowledge transfer and food system transformation. The international development mission will also involve key bilateral meetings with ministerial counterparts, and administrative representatives at national, regional and local levels.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister McConalogue said: “Ireland's commitment to tackling the escalating food security crisis remains steadfast. We have always shown great international leadership on these issues. Through strategic alliances with our UN agency partners and our policy of flexible funding, we are not just aiming to alleviate immediate hunger, but also working diligently towards the Sustainable Development Goal of achieving Zero Hunger by 2030.

 “The conflicts in this region together with climate shocks and economic turmoil have led to a sharp rise in the number of acutely food-insecure people struggling to get enough food to feed their families. I want to use my visit to East Africa to highlight the importance of our continued support to both the UN World Food Programme and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

“My Department’s funding is helping to support vulnerable communities tackle hunger and malnutrition by building more resilient food systems capable of feeding their families and communities,” Minister McConalogue added.

 The international development mission will begin in Kenya with a visit to the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Turkana, to see first-hand the humanitarian work of the World Food Programme. The Minister will tour the food commodities and food distribution locations, meeting with refugee representatives who comprise the Food Advisory Committee. He will also visit the self-reliance projects, including the horticultural farm and water harvesting structure used to counter climate change effects.

 The Minster will then travel onto the Afar region in Eastern Ethiopia visiting Ireland’s NGO WFP delivery partner projects, including an enhanced resilience food system project designed to improve sustainable livelihoods through efficiency in irrigation and water usage. The visit will conclude in South Sudan where the Minister will meet with Government counterparts, visit WFP Projects and engage with and Irish supported NGOs working in the region.

As part of the St. Patrick’s Day programme, this visit will also focus on deepening bilateral connections with all three countries; on promoting Ireland’s values and interests; and on engaging with the Irish Diaspora.