2007 Press Releases
Professor Denis Lucey to join Irish Aid Hunger Task Force
Conor Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs,
today (21st May 2007) announced the appointment of a number of
additional international experts to the Hunger Task Force:
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - former Finance Minister of Nigeria
Dr Pamela K. Anderson, Director General of the International Potato Centre, Lima, Peru
Professor Lawrence Haddad of the UK Institute of Development Studies
Professor Denis Lucey UCC, Chairman of Gorta
Mr Kevin Farrell, Head of the World Food Programme in Zimbabwe.
The Minister also announced that Bono has agreed to participate on the
Task Force. The Task Force, launched in April, will draw on a range of
Irish and international expertise in order to identify the particular
contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce
hunger.
Making the announcement, Minister Lenihan said:
"I am delighted that Bono has agreed to participate on the Irish Aid
Hunger Task Force. Bono's commitment to the developing world is well
known. I am confident that he will bring his trademark enthusiasm,
experience and insights to the Task Force. His participation will give
the issue of global hunger and malnutrition the level of attention that
it deserves. Bono joins a Task Force of national and international
experts who have a wealth of experience of development issues. The
report of the Task Force will have a major influence on the future
orientation of Ireland's rapidly expanding Aid Programme".
The Hunger Task Force, called for in last year's White Paper on
Irish Aid, will be part of Ireland's efforts to the achieve the first
Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty and hunger by 2015.
Minister Lenihan announced the terms of reference of the Task Force and
its chairman, former Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, on 10 April.
Other members of the Task Force are Prof Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia
University), Justin Kilcullen of Trocaire, Sheila Sisulu, Deputy
Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Nancy Aburi of the NGO
Self-Help, Michael Gibney, Professor of Food and Health at UCD, Tom
Arnold of Concern, Aidan O'Driscoll of Department of Agriculture and
Food and Brendan McMahon, Head of the Emergency and Recovery Section of
Irish Aid.
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