Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2017
56. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of the State's humanitarian response to the unfolding famine in east Africa and the measures being taken to help prevent its escalation with millions more persons at threat of starvation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25640/17]
View answerMy question relates to the current humanitarian and political crisis in the Horn of Africa where famine threatens in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan. What measures is the State taking diplomatically and in the provision of humanitarian assistance to deal with that?
The Government is strongly committed to responding to the unprecedented humanitarian needs in east Africa, in particular in the Horn of Africa. Conflict, drought, severe food insecurity and now famine are causing massive population displacements and suffering throughout the region.
As a consequence, the humanitarian situation is continuing to deteriorate and 5 million people are classified as severely food insecure in South Sudan. Famine is affecting 100,000 people in parts of the country and a further 1 million people are now on the brink of famine. In Somalia, 3.2 million people are in crisis and the risk of famine remains extremely high. Over 10 million people in Ethiopia and Kenya are also now facing an acute hunger crisis.
As such, the continued provision of timely humanitarian assistance to avert a catastrophe in the region is essential. Through the Irish Aid programme, Ireland has provided €120 million in humanitarian assistance in the Horn region since 2012, including €29 million in 2016 and €17 million so far this year. Our assistance is supporting our UN and NGO partners in their responses with a focus on providing food assistance, treating malnutrition, providing shelter and protection for displaced people, and providing emergency services in water, sanitation and health care.
Last month, we airlifted over 100 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to Somalia while earlier this month a further 34 tonnes were airlifted to South Sudan for distribution to displaced families. We will continue to monitor this ongoing crisis closely and to provide additional life-saving humanitarian assistance to those most in need.
I commend Irish Aid on the work it is doing and has consistently done to address the humanitarian crisis in the region. It is of vital importance. Is the Minister aware also of the unfolding political crisis and the impact it is having on aid agencies? Aid agencies are now being targeted by some of the political actors in the region which is making it very difficult to carry out humanitarian work.
With the humanitarian crisis, there is breakdown in civil society and some of the official and unofficial bodies in the region are acting against the humanitarian agencies. We have embassies in Ethiopia and Kenya. What are we doing on the diplomatic front to try to ensure respect is given to aid agencies to allow them assist people without fear of attack?
This is an area of severe and consistent challenge, where there is severe drought following poor rainfall over the past two years. This is coupled with conflict and violence, as the Deputy has said, with particular reference to Al-Shabaab's insurgency. Inter-clan fighting has led to a very worrying deteriorating situation in Somalia and other countries in the region. Ireland's response is, in the main, by way of humanitarian assistance. This is delivered on the ground by our partners, in particular the UN Refugee Agency and the World Food Programme. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the programme's headquarters in Rome, where I saw the great work done by everybody there, in particular scores of young Irish participants. I acknowledge the work of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Children's Fund, the International Red Cross, the International Red Crescent and non-governmental organisations, in particular, Concern, Trócaire, Oxfam Ireland, World Vision Ireland, Plan Ireland and Christian Aid. These NGOs have the experience and capacity to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable of communities. Our partners, in particular, the International Committee of the Red Cross, are best placed to provide assistance in conflict situations and gain access to areas where other organisations are unable to operate, such as Syria, Iraq and South Sudan. I share the Deputy's concern. This is a real and serious challenge.
The Minister has outlined very comprehensively the humanitarian work being done, but there also needs to be diplomatic work and political intervention, perhaps in South Sudan where the civil war is ongoing and in northern Kenya, to ensure humanitarian workers do not become targets themselves and ensure they can deliver humanitarian aid because this is becoming a very real concern. It is unusual that they are becoming targets and this needs diplomatic intervention.
I do not disagree with what the Deputy has said. In the course of my earlier responses, I dwelt, in particular, on the humanitarian aid and assistance to which Ireland has been to the fore in contributing. We are very concerned about the unprecedented level of humanitarian need globally and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in many parts of the world. In respect of assistance towards the resolution of conflict, the international community, including the European Union, continues to strongly support the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region. Those with influence on warring parties must bring it to bear on those involved in conflict and those in search of peace because without peace needs will continue to rise and millions more will suffer from acute hunger and famine. In addition to seeking political solutions, we must also urge respect for international humanitarian law so in the interim period humanitarian assistance can reach those in need. We must urgently scale up our humanitarian assistance to help those now on the brink of famine to avoid catastrophe, and encourage other donors to step up their assistance. I am proud of the response of Ireland in this regard.
