Luxembourg exchanged agreements with UNOPS today, to provide funding to improve food security and livelihoods for rural communities in Myanmar through the multi-donor Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT).
The agreements were exchanged by LIFT Fund Director, Andrew Kirkwood, and Mr Claude Jentgen, the Chargé d'Affaires for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, of the Embassy’s Development Cooperation office for Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, based in Hanoi. LIFT is managed by UNOPS.
With a contribution of €1 million, Luxembourg becomes a LIFT donor alongside the European Union and the governments of Australia, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. From the private sector, the Mitsubishi Corporation is a donor. To date, donors have committed $208 million to LIFT. In the spirit of aid effectiveness, funds are pooled to allow for better programme coherence.
“Luxembourg’s contribution confirms donor confidence in the work that LIFT is doing in Myanmar,” said Mr Kirkwood. “The contribution comes at an important time when LIFT is extending its programmes to ensure that poor rural communities are included in Myanmar’s economic growth. We thank Luxembourg and welcome them to the Donor Consortium.”
“Our contribution to LIFT complements the other funding that Luxembourg is placing in the rural sector in Myanmar, particularly our upcoming support to people living in remote and poor areas in eastern Shan State,“ said Mr Jentgen. “We also appreciate LIFT activities relating to the floods, and commend its swift and solid response.”
Luxembourg signs shortly after Italy, who joined the Fund last week. LIFT has been working in Myanmar since 2009 to assist the country in its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
LIFT has now reached over three million people, or roughly six per cent of Myanmar’s population, markedly improving the food security of more than 1.1 million people. Working in 138 of the country’s 330 townships, over 788,000 people have seen an increase in their ability to cope with shocks and setbacks as a result of LIFT action. LIFT-funded microfinance loans have reached 243,000 families, for both farming and non-farming purposes. Women represent 75% of LIFT-funded microfinance clients.
www.lift-fund.org | www.unops.org | www.facebook.com/liftfund
