Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 April 2017
235. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which humanitarian aid reaches those for whom it was intended throughout the globe; the number of areas currently of concern in this regard; the actions taken to address the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18647/17]
View answerThe international community is currently challenged by the unprecedented scale of humanitarian crises globally, as a result of war and conflict, drought and famine and the devastation caused by natural disasters. Over 128 million people in 33 countries around the world are now in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
The UN has identified the emergencies, in Syria, Iraq and Yemen as particularly complex crises in conflict situations which have resulted in significant displacement, food insecurity, rising malnutrition levels and serious concerns for the protection of civilians. At the conference on Syria last week in Brussels, I promised that Ireland would provide at least €25 million this year to support those affected by the Syria crisis. We have provided €76.5 million to those affected by the crises since 2012. We have also provided €5.75 million for Iraq since 2012 and we have provided almost €6 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen. I am also deeply concerned about the situation of millions of people currently facing famine, or threat of famine, in Somalia, South Sudan and north east Nigeria. €11 million in new funding from Ireland was announced last month to assist people suffering in the Horn of Africa, and we have committed to provide at least €5 million in 2017 in response to the ongoing severe humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region. Some €115 million in humanitarian funding has been provided to the Horn of Africa since 2012.
Ireland’s assistance is focused on where needs are greatest, providing support to the most vulnerable and hard to reach populations, and we are committed to responding in a timely and effective manner to the most severe humanitarian crises and emergencies, in particular to protracted and forgotten crises.
At the World Humanitarian Summit, which I attended in Istanbul last May, significant commitments were made by donors, including 35 specific commitments by Ireland, to ensure faster and more effective delivery of humanitarian aid. Ireland will continue to work to ensure that our assistance is targeted at and reaches those in greatest need, in the most efficient and effective way possible.
