Humanitarian Aid

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 November 2016

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Questions (28)

Seán Crowe

Question:

28. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to comments by UN officials that 75,000 children in Nigeria’s north east could starve to death within months; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that 14 million persons are in need of humanitarian aid in this region due to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed 20,000 persons and has left 2.6 million persons displaced; and if his Department is providing any assistance to ensure a famine does not take hold and to assist those in the middle of this humanitarian crisis. [36313/16]

Oral answers (6 contributions)

Deputy Seán Crowe

Like most people I was alarmed to hear UNICEF state that 75,000 children in Nigeria's north east could starve to death within months unless there is urgent action. I have tabled the question to try to find out whether the Minister is aware of this and whether the Department can do anything about it.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I am seriously concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in north-eastern Nigeria, following seven years of Boko Haram violence. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 14 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, as the Deputy correctly pointed out. More than 4.4 million people are in urgent need of food assistance and up to 400,000 children could suffer from severe acute malnutrition over the next 12 months if adequate assistance is not received.

Earlier this month, our ambassador to Nigeria, Sean Hoy, visited Borno State to assess the security and humanitarian situation. He met representatives from various UN agencies and NGOs in Maiduguri. The ambassador visited a number of camps for displaced people. Following the visit, on behalf of the EU, the ambassador briefed the United Nations special representative for west Africa and the Sahel. Our embassy in Abuja continues to consult with the Nigerian Government, at senior political and official levels, on the humanitarian emergency.

Ireland and our EU partners are providing significant humanitarian assistance. In 2016, Ireland has provided €3 million in direct response to the crisis in the region. This includes €325,000 for Irish Aid's NGO partners, €1 million for the work of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN and €1 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Under Ireland’s rapid response initiative, six rapid responders were deployed this year to work with our UN partners. We also airlifted 110 tonnes of emergency relief supplies into north-eastern Nigeria and to Niger to help displaced Nigerian families. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and to assess what further humanitarian assistance Ireland might provide.

Deputy Seán Crowe

A total of 2.6 million people are displaced in the region. It is about the scale of the problem. I welcome the fact the Irish Government and the Department are involved in our response to it. Reports are coming in from Doctors without Borders on mortality rates in the camps being five times what is considered an emergency. There are reports of mothers failing to lactate and their children starving. Institutional failures have exacerbated the situation. It is a manmade famine and is down to Boko Haram, but the government there has not exactly covered itself in glory in its response. It is about whatever the international community can do. Progress is too slow in recognising the enormity of the situation. Will the Minister of State accept we need to act urgently? I recognise what he said with regard to monitoring the situation, but we need to take further action on this matter.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I agree and I am glad the Deputy has raised the issue because there are many forgotten crises. In recent days along the Lake Chad border there has been an eruption of violence. When we consider that 9 million of the global displaced population of 65 million in Chad are displaced it gives an indication of the scale of the issue. Efforts at EU level and whatever collaborative approaches need to be carried out in this region need to be continued. I will have an opportunity next week, along with our colleague, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, to go to Kenya. We will be very focused on looking at root cause, mediation and conflict resolution. We must have a renewed focus across all levels, at European level and UN level, looking at how we address the underlying causes of a lot of these difficulties that are emerging, be they in eastern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa or the Horn of Africa, where there are enormous challenges.

Deputy Seán Crowe

I am conscious Nigeria is a wealthy country but it needs support. It is not just hunger. There has been a recent outbreak of polio in Borno State, which is the first time in Africa in two years. We also need additional aid for issues such as this. Will the Department also support efforts to provide urgent medical care in the area?

Deputy Joe McHugh

Looking at the global figure, the EU has pledged €50 million in support of the multinational joint task force which supports 8,700 troops. The European Commission has also provided $52.4 million in funding towards humanitarian situations. We have the money and it is about how best we use it, given the nuances around culture, what is needed and what is best for specific regions. We must work very much in tandem with local leaders in these countries. This goes back to the issue of trying to address root cause and getting to the bottom of the conflict situation the first place. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue.