The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Development Co-operation Division, manages Irish Aid, Ireland’s development cooperation program.
Ireland’s policy for international development, “A Better World,” outlines four key development priorities: (i) women’s equality, (ii) reducing humanitarian need, (iii) climate action, and (iv) strengthening governance. The policy focuses on reaching those who are furthest behind first and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, Ireland aims to channel its energies into interventions focusing on people, food, and protection. Ireland prioritizes Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Viet Nam.
In December 2023, Ireland launched its Second Strategy for Partnership with SIDS. This strategy builds on the progress achieved since 2019, when Ireland became one of the first countries in the world to develop a dedicated national strategy for SIDS. Ireland’s commitments for this next phase of partnership with SIDS are set out in the strategy Action Plan under the following interlinked pillars: Building our Partnership, Climate and Oceans, Capacity, and Advocacy.
Since becoming a member in 2006, Ireland has committed $130.1 million to ADB special funds. Of this, $118.3 million is for the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s low-income, developing member countries to help reduce poverty and improve quality of life.
A Better World: Ireland's Policy for International Development
13 December 2024
ADB has approved a $6.0 million grant, as part of a total project cost of $16.6 million, to help improve climate resilience, water and food security, and livelihood opportunities for rural communities in Timor-Leste.
12 June 2024
ADB approved a $111 million project that will address the country’s crosscutting climate adaptation challenges of flood risk management, sustainable and reliable water supply, and renewable energy security.
6 September 2024
ADB joined the Government of Vanuatu in a groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction of a multipurpose emergency shelter—a key component of the Greater Port Vila Urban Resilience Project.
20 November 2024
ADB and the Government of Tuvalu today commissioned 500-kilowatt on-grid solar rooftops in Funafuti and a 2-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system that will provide a clean and reliable electricity supply to the country’s capital and help achieve the government’s ambitious renewable energy targets.
Solomon Islands will enhance senior secondary education by focusing on curriculum reform, weather-resilient facilities, and equality for girls in schools. Funded by ADB’s Asian Development Fund and other sources, the project seeks to equip students with the skills needed for sustainable livelihoods and resilience against climate challenges.
With grant support from the People’s Republic of China, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Regional Malaria and Other Communicable Disease Threats Trust Fund, ADB is scaling up efforts to help its developing member countries’ health and economic systems respond to COVID-19 outbreaks and future pandemics.
Ireland has provided more than $130 million in support since joining ADB as a non-regional member in 2006.
The story describes Ireland’s rapid economic growth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries—underscoring how Ireland, once a developing economy itself, has helped assess skills demand and supply in Uzbekistan through the Irish AARC Consultancy.
Ireland’s first-ever trust fund with ADB shows the country’s solidarity with small islands developing states as they face the urgent threat of climate change.
Active trust funds are those a) with ongoing projects; or b) with no active projects but have remaining funds.
Ireland contributes to ADB’s development initiatives through two key avenues: Cofinancing and Special Funds.
Sovereign Cofinancing. In 2024, Ireland signed a grant of $2.8 million to the Advancing Climate Adaptation Action at Scale program. This funding will contribute to ADB’s work aimed at building the climate resilience of the most vulnerable developing member countries. A new initiative, it will address key bottlenecks that developing countries are currently facing in implementing climate adaptation solutions. To date, the program is supporting Bridging the Gap Between Climate Adaptation Planning and Financing through a $0.7 million technical assistance grant.
Nonsovereign Cofinancing. The Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) supported over 120 transactions valued at $517.3 million with a bank operating in Ireland from 2009 to 2024. During the same period, the TSCFP supported over 23 Irish exports and/or imports valued at $14.2 million. In 2024 alone, the TSCFP supported 5 transactions valued at $50 million with banks operating in Ireland and supported an Irish export valued at $1 million. Exports and/or imports were mainly to/from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Georgia. Underlying goods involved mostly food and agriculture-related goods, industrial machinery and capital goods, as well as consumer goods.
