Emer Higgins
Question:456. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way that the Irish embassy in Vietnam is delivering the Irish Aid programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13371/21]
View answerWednesday, 10 March 2021
Questions (456)
Written answers
Ireland's longstanding programme of development cooperation in South East Asia is implemented by the Embassy of Ireland in Hanoi in conjunction with a number of partner organisations. The programme operates primarily in Vietnam itself, with a smaller range of activity in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.
Consistent with the commitment to the "furthest behind first" in Ireland's Policy for International Development, A Better World, the largest component of the Irish Aid programme in Vietnam focuses on poverty reduction for ethnic minorities, aimed at some of that country's poorest and most marginalised communities. The populations and geographical areas targeted by the Ethnic Minorities Programme include more than half of those living in poverty in Vietnam. Irish Aid supports the Vietnamese Government in implementing the programme in five provinces, with a focus on small-scale infrastructure (local roads, schools, clinics, etc.). Ireland's Embassy in Hanoi also coordinates an Ethnic Minority Working Group which helps to shape policy and ensure that the social and economic development of ethnic minority communities remains a priority on the Government’s agenda.
Another important element of Irish activity is the Vietnam-Ireland Exchange Programme (IDEAS), which brings together Irish and Vietnamese experts to build technical, governance and policy development capacity in institutions responsible for economic decision-making in Vietnam. IDEAS also brings promising individuals to Ireland to undertake Master's-level study through the Ireland Fellows programme run by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Ireland’s also supports civil society in Vietnam, focusing on the themes of disability, poverty reduction, gender empowerment, capacity development and participatory local governance. Ireland provides funding to national and international civil society partners to strengthen their capacity in research, network building and the creation of coalitions for advocacy and potential social change. This support to civil society aims to influence policy response and service delivery in favour of groups that are marginalised on the basis of gender, migrant status, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. Ireland also funds youth development projects supporting young, creative and enthusiastic people to grow their ideas and turn them into organised actions. The Embassy has made distinctive choices of partners based on shared values and a commitment to sustainable development, gender equality, human rights and good governance.
Ireland’s Regional Programme operates across Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR and addresses issues of humanitarian need, vulnerability and fragility. The support addresses hunger and under-nutrition; promotes livelihood support for very vulnerable groups; facilitates humanitarian de-mining to reduce loss of life and injury and enable post conflict reconstruction; and provides humanitarian assistance for immediate needs in Myanmar.
During the course of 2020, the programme put in place additional supports to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable in the region as well as to respond to the impact of devastating floods on hundreds of thousands of people in the last quarter of the year.