Gary Gannon
Question:64. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the potential for famine in Ethiopia as a consequence of the conflict in Tigray. [24200/21]
View answerTuesday, 11 May 2021
Questions (64, 81)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:81. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions Ireland has taken regarding the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia; if additional aid will be provided as the situation continues to escalate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23938/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 81 together.
Minister Coveney covered some of these issues in an earlier reply, but for the record I would also stress my serious concern about the ongoing conflict in Tigray, which has seen many people killed, injured, and displaced, and which is feeding into instability across the Horn of Africa region.
Minister Coveney Ireland set out the role Ireland is playing in the Security Council, where we were active in brokering a press statement on the situation in Tigray on 22 April - the first time the Council has spoken publicly on the crisis. We have also highlighted the issue of severe food insecurity in Tigray in recent Security Council discussions on conflict and hunger.
We continue to support a strong and constructive EU response to the crisis, as underlined by Minister Coveney at the April Foreign Affairs Council.
An immediate ceasefire is the most important step all parties can take. In this regard, it is imperative that Eritrean forces leave Tigray immediately.
Notwithstanding some improvement in humanitarian access, the humanitarian situation continues to be concerning, in particular the situation of internally displaced persons. There are multiple, credible and harrowing reports of ongoing human rights violations, including sexual violence, in Tigray. I strongly support the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, working with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, to investigate reported atrocities.
Ireland continues to advocate for an effective response to the situation in Tigray, and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict through bilateral engagement, our EU membership and also at the UN Security Council, where we remain actively engaged with other Council Members on further ways to address the crisis. Supporting this advocacy, Minister Coveney continues to engage on an ongoing basis with a range of key interlocutors on the situation, including in the region, the Gulf, as well as the African Union.
My Department has provided over €3.2 million to support the vital humanitarian response in Tigray and the refugee response in neighbouring Sudan, through our trusted UN and NGO partners on the ground, and further funding is under active consideration.