Ireland Aid’s support for UNICEF is to treble over the next three years, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Ms Liz O’Donnell announced today.
Speaking at the launch of Ireland Aid’s "Education Forum" today at Dublin Castle, the Minister - who has special responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights - said Ireland is to serve on a UNICEF executive board for the first time in 2002.
The Minister reiterated Ireland’s commitment to meeting the UN development cooperation target of 0.7 per cent of GNP by the end of 2007 with an interim target of 0.45 per cent. She said this will mean an increase in our aid expenditure over the next seven years, from £208 million in 2000 to £800 million in 2007.
Ms O’Donnell said: "Investment in education is essential to any long- term strategy geared at combating poverty. Improved learning is linked to better health, improved security and improved economic well-being."
The theme of the day-long forum will be "Education for all – collective responsibility – collaborative action". It aims to highlight education issues in Sub Saharan Africa with an emphasis on poverty, HIV/AIDS, debt relief and their impact on education.
The Director of Teacher Education for the Zambian Ministry of Education, Mr Simon Chiputam and the World Bank’s Sector Director for the Human Development Africa Region, Dr Birger Fredrikson will be among those addressing the forum.