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Cause to celebrate! Eighteen-year-old Antonio Elias is hugged by his mother after a successful cataract operation on his right eye. © Riccardo Gangale / Sightsavers

Cause to celebrate! Eighteen-year-old Antonio Elias is hugged by his mother after a successful cataract operation on his right eye. © Riccardo Gangale / Sightsavers

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Europeans supports development aid

PRESS RELEASE - 13 September 2010

Aid Agencies Ask: Will the Government reflect
widespread public support for overseas aid?

One week ahead of a crucial UN Summit, a new EU survey shows
9 out of 10 Europeans strongly support development aid.

13 September 2010

Public support for development aid remains high.

One week before a crucial UN Summit on global poverty, the European Union has published a survey that shows that 89% of respondents consider development aid is "important" or "very important".

The survey comes just weeks after Dóchas published the results of a similar poll in Ireland, which revealed that a total of 81 percent out of 1,000 respondents agreed that it was important for Ireland's international reputation that the Government delivers on its promise of spending 0.7% of GNI on overseas aid by 2015 at the latest.

The EU survey shows that two in three Europeans believe that the EU should honour, or even improve, on its promises to increase development aid to 0.7% of GNI by 2015, the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goal.

Next week's UN Summit can build on this public support.

The special Eurobarometer "Europeans, development aid and the Millennium Development Goals" report gauges public commitment to development aid in view of the on-going economic crisis and in the light of the upcoming High Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in New York (20-22 September).

The Summit will examine progress towards the attainment of the UN poverty eradication initiative known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"In one week's time, world leaders will meet at the UN in New York, to take stock of a decade of concerted action to make extreme poverty history. They all know exactly what it takes to achieve that goal, and that they have widespread support from their own people, as evidenced by the recent Eurobarometer and Dóchas opinion polls. It is, therefore, time for action on global poverty," says Hans Zomer, Director of Dóchas, the umbrella group of Ireland's Development NGOs.

Time for Action.

Earlier this year, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon published his assessment of progress towards the global anti-poverty goals, the "Millennium Development Goals".

In his report, "Keeping The Promise", Ban Ki-moon pointed out that If the MDGs are to be achieved by 2015, not only must the level of financial investment be increased but innovative programmes and policies aimed at overall development and economic and social transformation must be rapidly scaled up and replicated.

"UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon has pointed out that one of the main obstacles towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals is the lack of follow through by rich countries on their aid promises. Too often in the past, UN member states like Ireland have made promises to the world's poorest people, and not kept them. Next week's Summit must result in action, not more promises" said Hans Zomer, on behalf of Dóchas.


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Contact: Hans Zomer, Director, Dóchas - tel. 085 728 3258 / 01 405 3801

 

For further information, see http://www.dochas.ie/