Ireland

Ireland Aid is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs has special responsibility for overseas development and human rights.

Ireland recognises global interdependence and the need for global responsibility. Irish Aid attempts to alleviate poverty through helping developing countries meet basic needs and through strengthening their capacity to help themselves. The Irish government sees a Programme as sustainable if it does not harm the environment of the country concerned.

General Forms of Co-operation: Ireland Aid invests most of its funds directly in Programmes and projects in targeted countries.
Egypt is not focused as a priority country in Ireland’s present development aid strategy.

Status of Ongoing Projects
Egypt does however benefit from the In Country Micro Financing scheme administered by the Embassy of Ireland on behalf of Ireland Aid. An annual grant of €70,000 in 2002 was disbursed to a number of small-scale projects in sectors as varied as vocational training, reproductive health, primary education, water and sanitation infrastructure and the provision of medical equipment. These funds are exclusively channeled via local NGOs the intention being to strengthen the indigenous NGO sector. Funding is also available for human rights and democratization projects, which is similarly disbursed via local NGOs.