The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today congratulated the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020.

Minister McConalogue stated, ‘'I wish to extend my heartiest congratulations to the World Food Programme and to its Executive Director, Mr. David Beasley, on the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020.This is due recognition of WFP efforts, as per the Nobel Committee’s citation, for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.’’

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine leads Ireland's engagement with WFP. Ireland has committed €70 million to the WFP for the period 2019-2021.

Minister McConalogue said that ‘‘Ireland's flexible and predictable contributions allow WFP to rapidly respond where it is needed most. This has been particularly important in recent large-scale emergencies in Yemen and Syria, as well as in dealing with the current coronavirus pandemic. I am very proud of Ireland's partnership with the World Food Programme, which is making a difference in the efforts to achieve our shared objective of SDG2 Zero Hunger.’’

Note for Editors:

The Strategic Partnership Agreement between Ireland and WFP 2019-2021 is for a total of €70 million, €45 million of which has already been disbursed.

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