By Somalilandtimes network

Friday, 10 February 2006, Ireland announced Friday it is providing more than €5 million (US$6 million) to help drought-hit areas of eastern Africa.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is giving €3 million (US$3.6 million) to the U.N. World Food Program, UNICEF and the International Federation of the Red Cross for their relief work throughout the Horn of Africa.

It said a further €1 million (US$1.2 million) was going specifically to the World Food Program's project in Somalia, while €550,000 (US$660,000) was being donated to Irish aid agency Trocaire for its work in Kenya and Somalia, and €500,000 to another Irish aid agency, Concern, for its work in Kenya.

"Responsibility for responding to the situation does not rest with us alone. It is incumbent on governments in the affected area to do all that they can to ensure that their people can survive these challenges," said Conor Lenihan, minister for development cooperation and human rights.

"The successive and growing food crises affecting so many regions in Africa must be tackled in a collaborative way by the international community as a whole. It is simply not acceptable in the 21st century that so many of the world's poor face such acutevulnerability and threats to survival," the minister said.

Source: Sapa-AP, Friday, 10 February 2006