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2015 is a critical year for development - Minister Sherlock

The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion and North South Co-operation, Seán Sherlock, TD, has singled out 2015 as a critical year for global development during an address to the Seanad on 4 February 2015

The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion and North South Co-operation, Seán Sherlock, TD, has singled out 2015 as a critical year for global development.

Addressing the Seanad, Minister Sherlock highlighted the importance of two major international agreements on global development and climate change which are due to be signed in September and December of this year.

“With agreements expected on a set of Sustainable Development Goals and an intergovernmental climate change deal, 2015 has been compared to 1945 in terms of its importance to world development.

“These agreements will affect all of us, but particularly the poorest and most vulnerable.

“They are aimed at eradicating poverty, addressing environmental degradation and climate change, and building a more peaceful, fair and sustainable world. The Sustainable Development Goals will cover such diverse areas as agriculture, education, gender equality, health, justice, employment and environmental degradation.”

Ireland has been appointed the co-facilitators, along with Kenya, of the Sustainable Development Goals negotiations which will seek to reach an agreement among all of the world’s 193 countries in September 2015 at the United Nations.

Minister Sherlock said:

“Our appointment is testament to the reputation of Ireland’s aid programme, Irish Aid; and our proud record of promoting human rights and participation in peacekeeping across the world.”

Major negotiations on legally-binding measures to cut carbon emissions will culminate in a high-level summit in Paris in December, which will be attended by the world’s leaders.

Minister Sherlock today spoke of how all countries have a role to play:

“The Sustainable Development Goals will be a set of universally-applicable goals and targets, negotiated and agreed by the world’s 193 countries.

“This has never been attempted before, and will be a huge achievement for humanity if successful. As a small island nation, our fate is inextricably linked with other nations and peoples.

“We give aid because it is right to help those in need, but also because we understand that it is in our interest to live in a more equal and prosperous world.”

Minister Sherlock also looked back on the achievements of Irish Aid, the Government’s overseas aid programme, in 2014. He highlighted Ireland’s role in tackling the Ebola outbreak, responding to the unprecedented level of humanitarian crises, including in Syria, the Central African Republic and South Sudan, and the positive report on Ireland’s overseas aid programme by the OECD.