I propose to take Questions Nos. 48,157 and 168 together.
I remain deeply conscious of the enormity of the challenges facing African nations as they seek to build the foundations of economic and social development, often in a climate of war and starvation. Ireland continues to address these challenges bilaterally and with our partners in the European Union and the United Nations. The focus of the work of Ireland Aid, the official development assistance programme of the Government, remains on Africa, where most of the poorest countries of the world are located.
Ireland Aid responds in two ways to the development needs of Africa and beyond. In the short-term we focus on saving lives in the most effective way possible, through direct assistance via the UN system and international agencies as well as non-governmental organisations. In the long-term, Ireland Aid's development programmes tackle the structural reasons underlying endemic poverty and insecurity, particularly on the African continent.
Last year the Government intervened to provide emergency and recovery assistance on over 70 occasions in more than a dozen countries throughout Africa, including the major countries of the Horn of Africa namely, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. This humanitarian assistance amounted to more than €20 million. These interventions were designed to reduce the effects of famine and conflict on some of the most vulnerable populations in Africa with a particular emphasis on women and children.
To date this year we have assisted the following countries in Africa in addressing emergencies both natural and man-made: Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Angola, Guinea, and Burundi. We have also assisted a number of regional programmes addressing emergency needs across international boundaries.