Irish Aid in Famines and Other Complex Emergencies

The most striking development on the current global aid scene is a dramatic increase in the number of humanitarian crises and complex emergencies, and a corresponding rise in the demand for aid funds to deal with them. Although big fluctuations can occur from year to year, there appears to be a long-term upward trend in the numbers being affected by natural disasters such as droughts, cyclones and floods. Man-made disasters, such as war and civil strife, and their frequent consequences of famine and refugees, are also placing increasing demands on aid budgets.