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Julien Behal/PA Archive

Irish government gives €2m in funding for Sudan and South Sudan

This emergency assistance brings our total support to the region to almost €5.5 million this year.

SOME €2 MILLION in emergency assistance for Sudan and South Sudan was announced today to provide food, water, shelter and basic healthcare to the most vulnerable communities.

The funding was announced today by Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello who said many communities remain “extremely vulnerable to disease and food shortages as a result of decades of conflict and chronic underdevelopment”.

More than 4 million people do not have access to enough nutritious food in South Sudan.

In Sudan, the UN estimates that 4.4 million people need assistance, with 3.5 million people in Darfur alone in need of emergency food assistance and almost 1.5 million people continue to live in temporary camps.

Welcoming the announcement today, CEO of GOAL, Barry Andrews said the money is “vital” to reduce malnutrition, and in the case of South Sudan, the world’s highest rate of maternal mortality.

This funding is being channeled through the United Nations’ Common Humanitarian Funds for Sudan and South Sudan. This additional assistance brings Ireland’s total support to Sudan and South Sudan to almost €5.5 million in 2013.

Read: Is the European Union funding the torture of refugees in Libya?>
Read: Oxfam urges EU foreign ministers to extend the arms embargo on Syria>
Read: Ireland’s overseas development funding continues to drop, remains below UN target>

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51 Comments
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    Mute M
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:10 PM

    Great, south Sudan spends 536 million dollars a year on its military. Sudan spends 3% GDP on it and we give them charity? FG idiots.

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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:12 PM

    Yeah, what does Sudan need a military for? Sure isn’t “Darfur” notorious for it’s peace and cooperation.

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    Mute Lillian O'Connor
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:28 PM

    M …good comment totally agree.

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    Mute Kevin Cooney
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:31 PM

    M – Well said!

    16
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    Mute Majid Hasan
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    Jul 9th 2013, 10:14 AM

    Dollar u mean Sudani dollar. I think that will be a million dollar for a loaf of bread !

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    Mute Adam Hurley
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:17 PM

    There’s not one Irish person who will be denied food in this country if they go and ask for it.
    It’s disingenuous and downright shameful for anyone to pretend like the situation in Africa where kids are starving is anything like here.

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    Mute graham galvin
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:51 PM

    lets just hope it reaches the starving people on the ground & dosent end up being spent on rpgs & ak47s

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    Mute Ian Reynolds
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:05 PM

    +1^^^^^

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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:13 PM

    You press the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down”, Ian. It’s not text operated.

    33
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    Mute Aideen Stevens
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:11 PM

    Yes this is true but we do have a very good social welfare system and fantastic charities to help out where possible , the Sudan are in far worse state than us, and we must help where we can

    116
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    Mute Aideen Stevens
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:30 PM

    I expected a few red thumbs from some cynics but not this many, as the article states the 2m is going on emergency aid, Ireland got bailed out so we could prevent this

    16
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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:30 PM

    Great another 2 million down the toilet do some warlord can tool up with brand new AK47s for his child soilders and he can buy a fleet of new Mercedeses for his 5 new 16 year old child brides.

    111
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    Mute Muriel Gowing
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:07 PM

    Surely you mean 16 new 5 year old brides

    27
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    Mute Chrisdóir Ó Duinn
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:16 PM

    The corrupt aid you’re talking about is mislaid developmental aid, not emergency aid. If you read the article the State is providing this aid in the form of basic necessities such as food, water and shelter.

    18
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    Mute Adam Hankin
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:25 PM

    I just don’t understand how a country that is supposedly “broke” can afford to send €2 million out of the country.
    That said, it seems they can afford €1.5 million or whatever it was to re-pave Grafton St!!

    110
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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:42 PM

    Grafton st needs to be repaved. It’s a shambles and dangerous to walk on. Especially for elderly or infirm people. Should have been done during the boom

    38
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    Mute Matt
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:02 PM

    Grafton street is getting repaved. The work started a couple of weeks back. Costing €4 million

    25
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    Mute Fagan Fagan
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:19 PM

    If the powers that be wanted to wipe out hunger there’s plenty of places in Europe alone to grow food
    The truth is they don’t care if they did this wouldn’t be a problem simple as

    71
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    Mute stayfrostynatty
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:13 PM

    Is this government having a laugh,go round the towns and cities in ireland on a saturday afternoon it looks like a beggers paradise,people begging for money in the name of charity for hospital beds,and i just head tallaght hospital want you to climb a mountain in africa to buy some scanner and this gobs**** of a government gives 2m irish money away..something seriously wrong

    56
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    Mute Dublinhitman
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:27 PM

    Its only when there’s a picture off a kid with tubes hanging out of him that the do gooders approve of there 2 million going to another counrty that buys weapons that cost millions . If people lose so much sleep over the kids in these countries and not there own county then go over there and help them out . I for one would like to see 2 million to provide services for are people thst are in need of it . I do my own charity work out of my own pocket helping are own

    64
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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:14 PM

    Go over there and take the tubes out, so.

    25
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    Mute Erin Smith
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:04 PM

    A hell of alot more than 2 million a year is spent on the needy here. It’s called social welfare. These people have nothing for gods sake, babies are starving. Seriously the attitude in this country is sickening sometimes. Moaning and mouthing about everything yet there’s nothing but a handful out protesting. Open your eyes, were a hell of alot better off than most even in the developed world. Go on welfare in the states and you’d be in for a rude awakening. Infuriating

    48
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    Mute Dublinhitman
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:04 PM

    Much kids here under malnourishment

    61
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    Mute Fagan Fagan
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:09 PM

    What about our own
    Another example of how the government doesn’t care about its citizens

    74
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:10 PM

    Don’t feed the semi-literate troll…

    68
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    Mute Rick MacRory
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:27 PM

    Fagan
    You’re a sick troll but good news…..treatment is available!

    25
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    Mute S Fox
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:44 PM

    I wonder how much of the money goes on administration? Ireland spends more per head of population on charitable donations to third world countries than most of the more prosperous nations.

    38
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    Mute Fagan Fagan
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:49 PM

    @ dick
    Ah your only teasing me telling me there’s help but not saying were I can get it ….. And you call me sick

    16
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    Mute Will White
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:42 PM

    For once let’s welcome assistance for some of the most vulnerable people in the world. 4.5 million South Sudanese are at risk because of poor food security. Respect to all of the Irish volunteers and staff working there and happy 2nd birthday to the worlds youngest country.

    58
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    Mute S Fox
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:04 PM

    Give a man a fish he will have food for a day, give him a fishing rod he will have food for life. The money would be better spent on teaching the population to fend for themselves, and on agricultural implements and irrigation equipment.

    35
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    Mute M
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:45 PM

    S fox and on birth control! Roll on the RC red thumbs!!!

    31
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    Mute murphy 11
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:09 PM

    Provide d same for our own

    53
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    Mute Erin Smith
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:12 PM

    You have to be joking. Do you have any idea how much is spent on social welfare every year?

    32
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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:56 PM

    More money squandered.

    10
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:32 PM

    Stand by for the ‘Charity starts at home.. take care of our own first’ brigade.

    51
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    Mute Muriel Gowing
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    Jul 8th 2013, 7:08 PM

    Does the troika approve of this expenditure? I hope it feeds hungry people and not some dictator’s arsenal.

    47
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    Mute Joe Sixtwo
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    Jul 8th 2013, 6:13 PM

    It is very sad to see such unnecessary misery in the world today caused by superstitious savages imaginary friends.

    45
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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:57 PM

    Idiot.

    5
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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Jul 8th 2013, 8:50 PM

    O DON’T WANT MY TAX MONEY GOING TO A COUNTRY THAT WAISTS THEIR MONEY ON WAR! YOU GET IT FG!

    30
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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:40 PM

    Wastes*

    Funny how those begrudging the money to starving kids are also borderline illiterate. You should have to pass an IQ test to get to vote.

    24
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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Jul 8th 2013, 9:47 PM

    Is that all you can say to me???truth is the truth. Africa should stop waisting money on war. I take it you have never seen the gap between rich and poor in Africa!! Go find out before you take cheap shots!!

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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:37 PM

    So the answer to that is to cut humanitarian aid? Don’t try to excuse your heartless penny-pinching with irrelevent nonsense. Face up to what you’re suggesting – cutting aid to starving kids.

    Between you and dublinhitman, there’s a fairly clear link between piss-poor English and miserly attitude. I’m just pointing it out.

    14
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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:42 PM

    I guess you win this one! I am from Africa!!!

    4
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Jul 8th 2013, 10:30 PM

    Load of people complaining about spending 2m to feed the starving, yet have no problem with spending 4m every year to translate government forms and records into Irish, forms and records that are rarely ever used.

    26
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    Mute Vicki Fermoyle
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    Jul 9th 2013, 1:25 AM

    Charity begins at home. How many Irish kids and families are living in poverty? I would agree 100% with assisting countries in need if our own country was not in such a state. We are being screwed again and again by our disgrace of a government. Lastly, where is the publicity on protests almost every day from desperate people attempting to stand up to the shambles we call government. Why pretend that Ireland is in a position to provide this aid when in reality we are being bailed out and are broke. Please publicise the truth Journal….

    6
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    Mute willy stump
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    Jul 9th 2013, 4:39 AM

    Charity starts at home. We can’t help people who can’t help themselves .

    4
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    Mute COOM
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    Jul 9th 2013, 6:34 AM

    This type of thing is going on far to long. if they really wanted to help this issue would have been sorted years ago. now, where did I leave that oil field ????

    4
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    Mute Andrew O'Callaghan
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    Jul 9th 2013, 11:27 AM

    What a joke…. All about helping others while our own are out on the streets or being harassed by banks for worthless houses… Don’t they know the saying Charity Starts At Home!!!!

    4
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    Mute Jason Woodhouse
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    Jul 9th 2013, 7:30 AM

    Another waste of our money

    4
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    Mute Jamie Dunne
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    Jul 9th 2013, 1:51 AM

    It’s horrible to see what these nations and its people go through, even though we have so many technological gadgets and all nowadays, there is still so many people who will never experience a normal lifestyle.

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    Mute W.j.d.
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    Jul 9th 2013, 2:14 AM

    520,000 barrels of oil a day to Ireland’s 0. Food for thought….

    2
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