Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2015
177. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the top ten locations worldwide currently in the throes of warfare, genocide, victimisation, starvation and abuse continue to receive attention-assistance from the EU and UN; the extent to which positive intervention-action continues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3248/15]
View answerThe locations currently experiencing warfare, victimisation, starvation and abuse, remain a constant concern to the EU, UN and wider global community.
Promoting stability and supporting efforts towards peace and security in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East continue to require and receive major international attention. UN-authorised peacekeeping missions have a major role in stabilising former and current conflict zones throughout both regions, and in protecting vulnerable populations.
Currently, there are 16 peacekeeping operations led by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. As of 31 December 2014, the UN’s workforce in the field consisted of 89,607 serving troops and military observers, 12,436 police personnel, 5,325 international civilian personnel, 11,762 local civilian staff and 1,844 UN Volunteers.
Ireland has a strong tradition of contributing to UN and EU peace-support missions. Ireland currently participates in seven UN peacekeeping missions. The majority of the 371 Irish peacekeepers currently deployed overseas are serving at the three UN missions in the Middle East while smaller numbers are deployed to missions in Africa and Eastern Europe.
The EU also takes a leading role in peacekeeping operations, conflict prevention and in the strengthening of international security in support of the United Nations, through the Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Civilian crisis management missions are established under the CSDP in order to prevent the initiation or renewal of conflict and to help societies or fragile states to recover from violent conflict. At present, the EU operates 11 civilian CSDP missions across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Ireland has been a strong supporter of the Common Security and Defence Policy since its inception. To date, we have deployed both military and civilian personnel to a total of 17 CSDP missions across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade currently seconds nine experts to six civilian CSDP missions, with numbers expected to increase later in the year as new posts are filled.
The Government is committed to the promotion of full observance of universal human rights standards. Active participation in multilateral organisations, including the EU and the UN, provides us with an opportunity to voice our concerns regarding human rights abuses. Through these organisations, international pressure can be brought to bear on those responsible for violations of human rights. Ireland will continue to use these mechanisms as a means of highlighting violations of human rights and furthering the protection of civilians.
In terms of promoting development and the fight against hunger and starvation, both the EU and UN play a vital role in working with governments, civil society and other partners to support the achievement of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. Ireland has been appointed as one of the two co-facilitators for the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals to guide the course of development policy post-2015 and, in this capacity, will continue to seek to shape the realisation of an ambitious agenda in the lead up to the Special Summit on Sustainable Development which will take place in New York in September 2015.
