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Middle East Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018

Tuesday, 20 November 2018

Questions (169, 170)

Mick Wallace

Question:

169. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had communications with his counterparts in the European countries that continue to sell arms and provide support to the coalition that is bombing Yemen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48419/18]

View answer

Mick Wallace

Question:

170. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he satisfied with the role the UN has played in terms of ending the war in Yemen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48420/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 170 together.

The crisis in Yemen is a source of grave concern. Three years of armed conflict has been the driving force in a devastating, protracted humanitarian crisis.

I most recently discussed the situation in Yemen with my EU counterparts at yesterday’s meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. [We were all in agreement on the need to continue our strong support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, who is working to bring the parties together for a new round of peace talks which may take place before the end of the year.] I was heartened to hear of the renewed prospects for negotiations. Work is also ongoing in New York on a UN Security Council Resolution that will hopefully see agreement on a ceasefire and will lay the groundwork for the resumption of peace negotiations.

While some individual EU Member States have announced decisions to refrain from selling arms and military equipment to members of the international Coalition , there is currently no consensus at EU level on an arms embargo related to the conflict in Yemen. For now Irish efforts are concentrated on ensuring the effective implementation of Export Control Regimes and the implementation of the 2014 Arms Trade Treaty.

The UN plays an important role in delivering and coordinating humanitarian support in Yemen, in facilitating access for commercial goods, in driving forward efforts to resolve the conflict through the work of the UN Security Council and the Special Envoy, and in providing oversight through the work of the Human Rights Council and other human rights bodies.

I fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, who is working in very difficult circumstances. To make progress, he requires full cooperation and engagement from all parties to the conflict. He has worked hard since he took up the role in March to make a positive impact, and I hope his latest efforts to restart talks, later this month, will meet with success.

The UN is vital to the humanitarian effort in Yemen, playing a leadership role in coordinating assessments of need, and ensuring overall humanitarian coordination to avoid gaps and duplication. Since 2015, Ireland has provided almost €16.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen, much of which is disbursed via UN agencies, who ensure delivery on the ground. This includes a contribution of €4 million made to the UN Yemen Humanitarian Fund this year, which provides assistance in the areas of education, logistics, food security, nutrition and health. The UN agencies, along with a small number of international NGOs, are carrying the greatest burden in terms of providing food and basic services for the Yemeni people.

The United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) is important in facilitating the unimpeded free flow of commercial vessels sailing to Yemen ports not under the control of the internationally recognized government, namely Hodeidah and Saleef. The EU is now the largest donor to UNVIM.

The UN Human Rights Council also has a role in highlighting the grave human rights situation in Yemen. Ireland was part of a small core group of countries that drove forward the adoption by consensus of a Resolution at the Human Rights Council establishing a Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) on Yemen. The GEE presented its findings to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in August 2018. While the report noted numerous violations and crimes, the experts indicated that they needed more time to complete their work. In September Ireland worked again with a core group of countries to extend the mandate of the GEE for a year, to allow them to do this.

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