Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
87. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the ongoing separatist conflict in Cameroon; the steps Ireland and the international community can take to help to resolve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32409/18]
View answerI am aware of the ongoing conflict in Cameroon and am particularly concerned by reports of violence against civilians. I had the opportunity to be briefed on these issues when I met the Cameroon Minister for Education in Senegal last February.
While Ireland does not have an Embassy in Cameroon, we continue to monitor the situation there closely, including through the Embassy of Ireland in Nigeria. Nigeria is host to many refugees from Cameroon. In addition, our membership of the European Union, and relationship with the EU delegation in Yaoundé, give Ireland access to both information and influencers. Ireland endorses the EEAS statement of 7 February on the situation in Cameroon, which called on all sides to refrain from acts which might exacerbate tensions: constructive dialogue remains the way towards a lasting solution to the crisis, preserving unity and peace for all Cameroonians.
It remains the responsibility of the government of Cameroon to create a secure environment in the country in which all citizens are protected from violence, and international human rights standards, including protection for minority groups, are upheld. The human rights situation in Cameroon was most recently reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, in May of this year, and Ireland fully participated in those discussions.
Ireland supports the efforts of United Nations bodies providing aid to those affected by the conflict. An Irish Aid rapid responder has been deployed to the Anglophone region of Cameroon to assist the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
