Tánaiste announces €15 million of Development and Humanitarian Funding for Ethiopia

Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence, Micheál Martin TD has concluded a four day visit to the Horn of Africa with a series of engagements in Addis Ababa.

The Tánaiste today met the Ethiopian Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide and outlined details of €15 million in funding from Ireland to support development and humanitarian programming to benefit those furthest behind throughout the country and in the region.

Speaking following the announcement, the Tánaiste said:

“Over the past 50 years, Ireland has undergone an economic transformation into a services-led and export-oriented modern economy. It is in all our interests to support Ethiopia on its journey of economic development. We are also committed to supporting those most in need, including the victims of conflict.”

At a roundtable with the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC), the Tánaiste met members to hear about their work on reconciliation and other national challenges, while sharing Ireland’s experience of Citizens Assemblies and peacebuilding.

Speaking after the roundtable, the Tánaiste remarked:

“Peacebuilding and reconciliation can be a long road and there is much we can learn from each other. I look forward to welcoming members of the Commission to Ireland later this year.”

The Tánaiste also visited the Association for Women's Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD) Safe House, which provides support and protection to victims of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV).

Speaking after the visit, the Tánaiste said:

“Ireland is proud to be supporting such important work on preventing and responding to gender based violence. Ending sexual violence is a challenge for every country and Ireland is committed to prevention and response both at home and internationally.”

Concluding his visit to the region, the Tánaiste said

“I’ve received a warm welcome in the Horn of Africa. The visit reaffirmed that Ireland’s relationship with Kenya and Ethiopia is moving to a new phase. Meeting with students, climate action innovators, peacebuilders, humanitarian workers, community activists, and entrepreneurs, I saw first-hand the new kinds of partnerships, to reinforce prosperity and peace. The challenges facing the region are significant but so too are the opportunities, including for significant growth in two-way trade and investment.”

ENDS

Press Office

19 July 2024

Notes to editors:

In the course of his visit to Ethiopia, the Tánaiste announced €15 million of funding from Ireland for flagship programmes of the Government of Ethiopia and new development and humanitarian programming to benefit those furthest behind throughout the country and the region. This includes:

 €8m for the Government of Ethiopia’s flagship Productive Safety Net Programme, which supports 7.9 million extremely poor and vulnerable people through cash and/or food transfers, improved social services and public works;

 €4m for the Government of Ethiopia’s flagship SDG-PF Universal Healthcare programme, which supports the expansion of universal health care to all;

 €1.2m for support to climate-resilient livelihoods in Tigray;

 €1m for the International Committee of the Red Cross’s Countrywide Humanitarian Response;

 €300,000 through ACCORD for work on Women, Peace and Security;

 €230,000 for UNWOMEN to support survivors of Gender Bbased Violence;

 €165,000 to IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism;

 €100,000 to Save The Children for drought response in Afar and Somali regions.

Over the last five years, Ireland has provided over €415 million in bilateral funding to partners in the Horn of Africa working to provide humanitarian and long-term development assistance to vulnerable populations (primarily in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and Kenya), as well as providing support for conflict resolution and actions to counter the impact of climate change.

At the height of the Horn food and drought crisis in 2022, Ireland’s bilateral investment in the region reached €102m. Last year Ireland spent over €85 million in the Horn.

The Ethiopia National Dialogue Commission is an impartial and independent organ of the Government of Ethiopia, established in 2021 to facilitate inclusive consultation on how Ethiopians can build national consensus on contested issues of national ideology and identity.