Ireland could not default a second time on its target date for allocating 0.7 per cent of Gross National Product to overseas aid, a senior official from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) told a conference in Dublin Castle yesterday.
Noting that the original target of 2007 had been changed to 2012, Richard Manning was applauded when he said: "This time the date has got to be kept."
He was speaking at a day-long consultation meeting on the Government's forthcoming White Paper on development co-operation attended by a range of development workers, non-governmental organisations, academics with an interest in development issues and other "stakeholders".
The meeting was organised by the advisory board of Development Co-operation Ireland, the development wing of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Previously a civil servant with the UK government, Mr Manning now chairs the OECD's development assistance committee (DAC) which regularly reviews Ireland's official aid programme to the developing world.
He added that the crucial issue was to ensure that the Department of Finance realised that commitments had been made all the way to 2012.
Praising the manner in which a large proportion of Ireland's overseas aid was targeted at eight "programme countries", mostly in Africa, he cautioned against a more widespread diffusion of aid. Ireland should maintain "a very strongly focused programme".
He also suggested that evaluation reports on aid allocation should be more readily available to the public. "One can't take public support for granted," he said.
A senior UN official with responsibility for development issues, undersecretary general Anwarul Chowdhury, said aid and debt relief should not be seen as a panacea for solving economic and social problems in the developing world.
There had to be a further opening up of trade, speedier transfer of technology and better employment opportunities for young people.
South African housing minister Dr Lindiwe Sisulu said that, due to rapid population growth and urbanisation, 72 per cent of Africa's population currently lived in slums. In the next 30 years the urban population in Africa would almost double from 353 million to 748 million.
Increased development assistance was required so that Africa could meet its needs in the key areas of housing, water and sanitation, health, education and infrastructural development.
Sierra Leone minister for trade and industry Dr Kadi Sesay expressed an appreciation for the opening of an Irish aid office in her country. She said she hoped this would soon lead to full bilateral diplomatic relations. Her government looked forward to Ireland playing a more active role on the ground in Sierra Leone "as we grapple with our post-conflict reconstruction".
Outlining the programme for completion of the White Paper, the first to be prepared on development issues, Minister of State for Development Co-operation Conor Lenihan told The Irish Times: "We have this event here which is about stakeholders and people very much involved in the area.
"So we hope to start the writing of it in the new year and bring it through Cabinet for the middle of 2006."