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FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER Charlie Flanagan is travelling to Cairo to attend a major international conference on the reconstruction of Gaza tomorrow where he will announce an additional €2.5 million in funding to Gaza.
The conference will focus in particular on current humanitarian needs and the huge amount of reconstruction required in Gaza, but participants will also address the critical need to prevent a repetition of the recent conflict.
The €2.5 million additional funding is made up of €500,000 in immediate humanitarian support for UNRWA through the UN Gaza Crisis Appeal and €2 million for longer term recovery assistance, to be disbursed over a two-year period from 2015 and 2016, to established partners such as the Palestinian Authority and UN agencies.
It brings to €10 million the amount of funding sent from Ireland to Palestine in 2010 and €35.65 million since 2005.
Speaking ahead of his departure to Cairo, Minister Flanagan said:
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire and it is clear that significant resources will be required to meet both immediate needs and longer term recovery assistance and reconstruction.”
The conference, which has been organised jointly by the Governments of Egypt and Norway, is part of the international response to the recent conflict in Gaza.
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Will this affect the cannabis laws? Going there in December…
they changed the law during the summer only dutch citizens can legally buy hash in the cafe’s no more tourists
Oh yea, I’d say its for the weed yer goin. Oh yea.
That law is not currently being widely enforced, unfortunately.
Max – tourists who are visiting Amsterdam in December will still be able to smoke pot in the coffeeshops. The ban is in place in southern cities such as Maastricht and the plan is for it to be introduced nationwide in January. Whether this govt plans any change to the proposed legislation is unclear, but will become clear in the next day or so.
Thank you Neil!
It’s actually doesn’t come into effect until November after cannabis cup, a major tourist attraction.
I’m only back yesterday from amsterdam its jan 1st the weed pass comes in
When it comes in, it means Dutch *residents* can buy it, not just Dutch citizens. If you’re Irish and you live there, happy days for you. If you’re Dutch and you live in Belgium, tough.
Ur welcome Max. Who knows I might c u there
now’s the chance to legalise and smoke our way out of the recession,cafes with PlayStations,lots of burger bites and sweets,400000 jobs in tourism and service industry,enda Kenny statue on o Connell street,money to burn,criminals moving into legitimate business!!!it’s win win
I bet the new Dutch government will achieve their goals too, not like our crowd of amateurs.
They will if their citizenship continue to pay their water rates and property tax.
Banning the weed tourism, raising the drinking age , next theyll be banning prostitution and turning the netherlands into a tourist wasteland
Interesting reading comments here .the vast majority ignored the main thrust of the report which was based on their economic platform ,we are mor interested in how it will effect Drugs and Booze and we wonder why we elect duff governments.
Never thought I would hear a liberal party looking at raising the age at which you are allowed to consume alcohol.
Brian – Rutte’s party are liberal in name only. They are definitively right of centre and austerity is the agenda that defines them. Much like Cameron’s Tory party in UK.
Gavin apologies.
the sales on the streets will be booming again. they just announced you will need an identification and proof of residence. so club membership for dutch citizens only has been scrapped.
http://www.dutchnews.nl has an interesting summary of what this means. Reading between the lines it looks like local/city councils will have discretion as to how the law is enforced but the ‘Weedpass’ is dead.
have your say