Accra, Sept. 4, GNA - Mr. Peter Power, Irish Minister of Overseas Development has visited the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Accra, Ghana, which is undergoing a major expansion programme for a new and larger facility.

A release issued by the Accra office of the World Food Programme said the depot was a key part of Ireland's Rapid Response Initiative. "The depot plays an important role in Irish Aid's Rapid Response Initiative. This enhanced facility is about responding quickly to emergencies and saving lives," he said.

"I am delighted to see that our substantial funding is being effectively spent. It is timely that we are visiting just as the depot is responding to a serious food emergency in Togo," Mr. Power added. He added that by pre-positioning essential supplies in Accra, Irish Aid, World Food Programme (WFP) and the wider humanitarian community were in a better position to respond faster and more effectively than ever to humanitarian emergencies in the West Africa sub-region which is prone to climate related crisis.

"I can also confirm that once the new facility is up and running, it is the government's intention to pre-position more of our essential humanitarian supplies here. The depot would then take on an even greater significance in our overall stockpiling strategy," Mr Power said. Miss Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of WFP, said Ireland was a major leader in the fight against hunger and expressed her gratitude for their lifesaving contribution to the humanitarian response depot. "In addition to Irish Aid's financial support for a new and larger depot, Mr Des Page, member of Ireland's Rapid Response Corps, has been deployed to manage the project expansion," she said. The United Nations main humanitarian supply base for the West Africa region forms part of a new network of rapid response hubs managed by the WFP.

The other hubs are in Brindisi in Italy, Dubai, Panama City, and Subang in Malaysia.