Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 June 2013
7. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether the experience from the Mali mission would suggest that, while individual member states of the European Union could respond rapidly, the decision-making process within the EU had been found wanting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30806/13]
View answerThe EU has been concerned about the situation in Mali for some time, notably following the army coup in March 2012 and the takeover at around the same time of much of the north of the country by a range of armed groups. Recognising that the crisis in Mali cannot be addressed through military means alone, the EU has implemented a comprehensive approach to the situation which encompasses diplomatic support, development and humanitarian assistance, as well as support in the areas of security and peacekeeping.
The EU has emphasised the importance of progress on the political track, especially the implementation of the transition roadmap by the Malian authorities. This week, the Foreign Affairs Council welcomed the signing of the interim peace agreement in Mali on 18 June 2013 between the Malian authorities and Tuareg communities in northern Mali, which provides for an immediate ceasefire and paves the way for presidential elections nationwide on 28 July. The EU will continue to encourage the preparations for free and fair elections, a meaningful national dialogue and reconciliation process and full respect for human rights for all of Mali’s citizens.
The EU has also been active in addressing the humanitarian situation in Mali. In May, the EU and France partnered to organise a donor conference on Mali in Brussels at which more than €3 billion was pledged to assist Mali’s recovery. I announced at the conference that Ireland will provide a further €2.5 million to respond to continuing humanitarian needs and to support the recovery of Mali.
The EU has supported international efforts to support stabilisation and counter the threat of terrorism in Mali. Alongside the French-led Operation Serval and the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, AFISMA, the EU Training Mission in Mali - EUTM Mali - forms an integral part of the EU’s role in supporting the request from the UN to member states and regional and international organisations to provide assistance, training and capacity-building support to the Malian security forces to help them to restore the authority of the Malian Government. The EU is currently examining how it can provide further support for the Malian authorities in the area of civilian security and justice in order to contribute to the long-term stabilisation of the country. Furthermore, a number of EU member states, including Ireland, are considering making a contribution to the newly established UN peacekeeping force, MINUSMA, which is due to be deployed at the beginning of July and will build on the work undertaken by France and AFISMA troops to date.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply. With regard to the forthcoming elections, I read some time ago that the security situation, particularly in northern Mali, remained very unstable. Is the Minister of State confident that enough stability has been achieved to ensure free and fair elections? As we know, French forces intervened in Mali in early January to prevent Islamic forces from overwhelming the country. It has been claimed, I believe with some justification, that it was essentially unilateral French action to intervene in its old colonial area of influence that drove on the EU rather than a multilateral intervention decided by the EU. Does the Minister of State agree with the comment of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, some time ago that the EU was found wanting in respect of its Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP?
I would be reasonably confident that the roadmap that has been put in place, which culminates in elections taking place on 28 July, will be achieved. The EU was very quick to respond to the situation. France intervened in January and at the informal meeting of the Development Ministers on 9 and 10 February in Dublin Castle, the first real discussion of the issue took place. It was decided at that point that a roadmap would be put in place, there would be nation building and there would be the release of €250 million by the EU to get moving on dealing with the humanitarian situation. Since then, steps along the way have brought us towards the transition to the fulfilment of the roadmap. It is intended that the French troops would evacuate at the time the elections take place, the transition Government would step down before the elections and that, when the elections take place, a new Government would become operational.
Part of the process was to ensure a commission on mediation and reconciliation was established and that this would operate before the elections took place. This was to ensure contact would be made and agreement reached with the Tuareg in the run-up to the elections. Agreement was reached and the interim peace agreement was signed on 18 June. I believe this will, to a much greater extent, ensure the elections are peaceful and transparent.
As the Minister of State is aware, the European Council in December 2012 proposed that the whole CSDP and its strengthening would be an issue for discussion and decision at the December Council meeting. As the House is aware, the protocol inserted in the Lisbon Treaty provides for our neutrality, and Ireland's views will be influenced and framed by that protocol and our policy of neutrality. Can the Minister of State assure us that, in the forthcoming Green Paper on Defence, the position on the triple lock will not be changed and our participation in foreign missions will remain under the same criteria as they have up to now?
While there have been numerous Tuareg ceasefires in the past, I see this as positive in that there is now a real opportunity in that country. The agreement is that many of the grievances of the Tuareg population would be addressed. There is criticism that there was no common agreement across the EU in regard to the conflict in the region but I presume there is common agreement in regard to building a real and meaningful peace process in that region. This is where the positive support needs to come from the EU in order to try to resolve the conflict that has been ongoing for decades in the region by seriously addressing the grievances of the Tuareg population in the north of Mali, in particular in regard to the corrupt regime that was in place, given the intervention was seen as the French stepping in to prop up that regime. Does the Minister of State agree this is a real opportunity that the EU needs to grab with two hands?
With regard to the Green Paper on Defence, that question could be more usefully put to the relevant Minister, who I am sure will give him a thorough and comprehensive response.
I assume the long-standing policy of neutrality will remain.
As of now, and on the best information, our neutrality remains intact.
I see the Tánaiste agrees.
Absolutely. There are no worries about it.
And the triple lock.
We have eight people involved in the EU Training Mission in Mali and they are there largely to train the existing force and to ensure the operations are based on human rights. There is also a request that member states make a contribution to the EU peacekeeping force, MINUSMA, which is due to come into place from the beginning of July. Whatever decision is made on that is another matter.
With regard to the broader question from Deputy Crowe about what is needed in the long term, there is at this stage general recognition that this whole area of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, which has given rise to enormous conflict and, at times, mayhem, needs to be addressed. Somalia, on one side, is a huge part, and Mali, on the other side, is another part, but there are other areas in between where there is a lot of conflict.
Some €3.25 billion was collected during the pledging conference in Brussels, to which we contributed. The intention is that a state-building exercise would take place so that, in the first instance, humanitarian aid would be provided, there would then be new elections and there would be a reliable and transparently elected Government. The intention is then to move towards developing the country in a sustainable way and ensuring its security at the same time.
