Concern welcomes Ireland’s commitment to UN Central Emergency Response Fund

Press release3 August 2017

Concern Worldwide Chief Executive, Dominic MacSorley, has welcomed the Irish government’s announcement of an additional €9 million to underfunded humanitarian crises through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

This additional contribution – announced today by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Simon Coveney, TD, and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Mr Ciaran Cannon, TD - comes at a time of extremely high levels of global humanitarian need.

Mr MacSorley, who heads Ireland’s largest international humanitarian aid agency, with 3,500 staff working in 26 countries, said:

In 2017, we are witnessing a truly exceptional global humanitarian crisis.

We very much welcome this additional funding from the Irish government at a time when millions of people face so much hunger and suffering, largely because of ongoing conflict and the effects of climate change.

This announcement is both significant and timely. The humanitarian response to the East Africa famine and food crisis alone is grossly underfunded, as are many other forgotten crises, so this injection of additional funds will save many lives.

Importantly it reinforces Ireland’s long-standing focus on where the needs are greatest, setting an example to other donors to step up and stop ignoring those in greatest need.

For more information or interview requests, please call Kevin Jenkinson at 086 358 2886 or by email: kevin.jenkinson@concern.net.