Press release
Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Samantha Power announce new Irish Aid – USAID partnership in Zambia
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power today announced an expansion of the development cooperation partnership between USAID and Irish Aid.
The announcement will see Irish Aid and USAID work together to advance food security in Zambia. Ireland’s new five year Mission Strategy for Zambia and USAID’s new Feed The Future Zambia strategy share a vision for climate resilient, inclusive and nutritious food systems for the country. This has enabled an exciting new partnership which will leverage private sector resources to diversify agricultural production, promote economic empowerment especially for women and youth, and enhance nutritional outcomes. It will also strengthen regulatory frameworks for improved food safety. The partnership follows on from a successful partnership in Malawi which continues to help smallholder farmers in the southern African country.
The Tánaiste and Administrator Power made the announcement during an event in Washington, D.C.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said:
“I was delighted today to meet with USAID Administrator Power to celebrate our longstanding partnership in global food and nutrition security. In particular, building on our recent successful collaboration in Malawi, I was pleased to jointly announce a new partnership between the US and Ireland in Zambia. We will send a technical mission to Zambia in the coming weeks to finalise the details and I will increase the budget for the Zambia programme from this year to fund it. This collaboration will focus on building sustainable food systems, prioritising improved nutrition, gender equality and climate action.”
Ireland has a long-standing development programme in Zambia, focusing on climate change, gender equality, education and social protection. In 2022, Ireland invested €6.1 million in development programmes in Zambia.