21/01/2009

Ireland Appoints Envoy For Hunger

A special Envoy for Hunger has been appointed to oversee Ireland's response to the global hunger crisis.

Kevin Farrell, formerly of the World Food Programme (WTP), will be responsible for promoting and assisting efforts to reduce hunger and food insecurity and meet the Millennium Development Goal to halve global hunger levels by 2015.

Farrell has overseen aid projects in Bangladesh, Iraq, Somalia, Uganda and most recently as UN World Food Program director in Zimbabwe.

Ireland's Hunger Task Force had recommended creating the new position in a report last year to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The panel includes rock icon Bono and Farrell.

The envoy will be appointed for a term of 18 months and will submit a report to the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, on the progress Ireland has made in relation to introducing Hunger Task Force recommendations next year.

Mr Power said the envoy was to ensure efforts to address hunger are implemented effectively across the Irish Aid programme, in line with the broad recommendations of the Hunger Task Force.

(DW/BMcC)


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