The OECD peer review , a four-yearly examination of Irish development assistance policies and operations, says Ireland sets an example in focusing development aid on neediest countries.
Irish development assistance has contributed to the enormous development success of the past couple of decades. Extreme poverty has been halved in one generation. The likelihood of a child dying before the age of five has been halved, saving about 17,000 children every day. More than 170 million people, almost 40 times the population of Ireland, are no longer living with chronic hunger.
This huge progress has in many ways been a product of rapid economic growth in developing countries. About 600 million people have been brought out of poverty in China alone. But the complete eradication of extreme poverty and hunger will not be achieved purely through economic growth. Extremely poor people will increasingly live in fragile states and countries in conflict. Poverty will be more concentrated in vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, small farmers, ethnic groups, religious minorities, women and the disabled. Specific policies targeting the most vulnerable groups and directing more resources to the least developed countries will be required to end poverty and hunger.
World leader
Ireland is a world leader in foreign aid to countries most in need. Global development assistance reached a record high of €135 billion last year, but many countries are giving a decreasing share to the least developed countries.
This trend must be reversed and Ireland can play a leadership role. Ireland allocated 0.24 per cent of national income and more than half of its development assistance budget to the least developed countries. That is among the highest in the world and well above the UN target of 0.15-0.20 per cent of national income.
Other countries should be inspired by Ireland’s willingness to focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, align with the priorities of developing country governments and provide fully untied aid.
This approach is not without risk as exemplified by the alleged theft of aid by the office of the Ugandan prime minister in 2012. Ireland reacted in an exemplary manner by not turning its back to the people, but by putting in place improved risk management systems. Ireland is realistic about what can be achieved overnight in countries such as Sierra Leone, whose civil war until 2002 put the country back 20 years. State-building takes decades. It is necessary to have a long-term perspective and avoid setting unrealistic targets. It anything, Irish aid is often too ambitious. That is why the latest OECD peer review of Ireland’s development co-operation recommended focusing on activities and partnerships where it can add greatest value and ensuring it has the right levels of staff and competencies to deliver on its commitments.
Political will
Eradicating poverty and hunger will require political will. Much can be achieved by leading coalitions for action solving specific development problems. Ireland’s “One World, One Future” strategy on hunger and nutrition is rallying a range of actors behind a cause. Ireland is a founder of the Scaling-Up Nutrition Movement and a partnership with the United States improving nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. What children eat in the first 1,000 days forms their health, intelligence and physical strength for the rest of their lives. Ireland can step up and lead a global coalition of nations, organisations, religious leaders, pop stars and agricultural companies to investment in green agriculture and eradicate hunger.
Irish aid has been falling in the past years. But it is very impressive that Ireland has been able to keep its development aid well above the OECD average of 0.3 per cent during tough economic times. Irish aid was at 0.45 per cent of national income last year and will move towards the international 0.7 per cent target as the economy gathers force.
Keeping up aid has been made possible by leadership from the top and at grassroots level. Irish development co-operation has broad political support and the Government deserves credit for its leadership. Irish aid is rooted in a legacy of Ireland’s own history of famine and is strongly supported by the people. Big organisations and volunteer groups, churches and bishops, Bono and Bob Geldof are all keeping up the pressure to provide development assistance.
Development assistance has been a huge success. Now it is time to step up. Leadership is needed to mobilise more money and the political will to end poverty and hunger once and for all. See also www.oecd.org/dac/peer-reviews/ Erik Solheim is chairman of the OECD development assistance committee