HAITI DEMARCHE FOR BUDGET SUPPORT - IRISH RESPONSE

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000926 SIPDIS USAID FOR LAC/CAR; TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN PREL SUBJECT: HAITI DEMARCHE FOR BUDGET SUPPORT - IRISH RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 132852 ¶1. (U) We shared reftel points with Jonathan Conlon, in the DFA's Latin American and Caribbean office, and Bronagh Carr, development specialist at the DFA's Development Cooperation Ireland office. Conlon said that Ireland had already contributed EUR 500,000 to Haiti through UNICEF, OCHA, and the International Federation of the Red Cross. Ireland had also given an addition EUR 100,000 in response to the recent floods. He could foresee that Ireland might provide further financial support for the donors conference, however he could not say whether Ireland would send someone to attend the meeting itself. ¶2. (U) Carr pointed out that Ireland fully supports the coordinated donor approach. They are "actively involved in the Liberia Core Group and played a significant role at the February Conference as part of their EU Presidency," she said. Ireland has clearly supported calls on Haiti, although Haiti is "a bit off their map," adding that Ireland "focuses more on Africa." ¶3. (U) Both Carr and Conlon suggested we engage the incoming EU President, the Dutch, as soon as practicable, on this appeal as well as on the upcoming Donor's Conference. They regretted they could not participate in planning for the Conference due to constraints of resources and capacity during the busy days at the end of the Irish Presidency. KENNY