Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2022
2. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with his counterparts across Europe; if consideration has been given to imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4170/22]
View answerMy question centres on the ongoing cataclysmic humanitarian situation in Yemen. Has the Minister spoken to his counterparts in the EU and have they considered sanctions against the Saudi Government relating to the ongoing humanitarian crisis?
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.
Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, driven by seven years of conflict, economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions and services that has left more than 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Ireland and the EU fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Mr. Hans Grundberg, whom I have met and spoken to, to bring about a political resolution to the conflict in Yemen. EU member states are in agreement that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and all parties should agree to an immediate ceasefire.
In addition to significant diplomatic efforts, the EU has provided nearly €1 billion to Yemen since 2015 in development, crisis response and humanitarian assistance. At a national level, Ireland has contributed in excess of €32 million in humanitarian funding to Yemen since 2015.
As a member of the Security Council, Ireland has engaged extensively in support of the UN's efforts to end the conflict in Yemen. I have held discussions with the UN special envoy for Yemen as well as Major General Michael Beary, who was recently appointed as head of the UN mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement.
I have also engaged extensively with the countries of the region, including the foreign ministers of Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, stressing the need to work urgently towards a resolution of the conflict. In fact, yesterday I spoke to my counterpart in the UAE on this issue.
Sanctions are an important foreign policy tool for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. To be effective and impactful, sanctions generally need to be agreed by a large number of countries. For Ireland, this typically means aligning with sanctions regimes agreed at the EU or UN level. There is not currently a consensus among either the EU or the UN Security Council members on the introduction of sanctions against Saudi Arabia.
Ireland will continue to support all efforts to end the terrible conflict in Yemen, including in the context of our position on the UN Security Council and as an EU member state.
This is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. This has left tens of thousands of people dead, including 10,000 children either killed or maimed. Some of the pictures that have consequently come out of Yemen are almost incomprehensible. It is grotesque to watch how a country such as Saudi Arabia, which is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, basically inflict absolute terror on Yemen, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, and that juxtaposition of having one of the wealthiest countries in the world bomb Yemen into the Stone Age. The world looks on because the bombs that are destroying Yemen are American made and American funded. There has to be sanctions. There has to be justice and some sort of accountability regarding Saudi Arabia.
I do not believe that a resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen will be solved by sanctions per se. I think it will be solved by political engagement across the region and at UN level.
Regarding Ireland's position on arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Ireland does not supply military equipment to any of the parties to the conflict in Yemen. Arms exports are a national competence in the EU but all EU member states are subject to the common position on arms exports. Each arms export licence must be assessed against eight criteria, including that the recipient country must respect international humanitarian law, and it is for each state to make this assessment as a national competence.
Having been involved in many discussions with different parties in the region in trying to find a way forward on this issue, including Iran, which I visited last year, I believe that this issue will be resolved through politics and diplomacy rather than sanctions.
The Minister visited Saudi Arabia last summer. Did he speak to his counterpart in regards to not only the human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, but also the situation in Yemen?
Has the Minister spoken to his counterparts in the EU about action against Saudi Arabia? What is going on in Yemen is war crimes, not according to me but according to NGOs and civic bodies, on the basis of the ongoing bombing of civilian areas. If there was ever a need for unity on violence against Yemen, it is in this situation.
Obviously, people are angered by what is going on in Yemen. On 26 March, people from Saudi Arabia and Yemen who live here are holding a day of action against the ongoing war crimes against Yemen.
I am in no doubt as to the horrors of war in Yemen and the humanitarian consequences of ongoing conflict there. When I visited Tehran last year, primarily focused on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, discussions, I also had a discussion on Yemen and the influence that Iran has on the Houthis in that conflict and certainly made clear our desire for Iran to use its influence on Houthis in the context of that conflict.
I also visited Saudi Arabia and had a long discussion regarding its involvement in the conflict in Yemen as well as, of course, speaking to the previous UN special envoy, Mr. Martin Griffiths. I have met the current EU special envoy as well.
Ireland will remain engaged on this, speaking to all sides. We are also conscious of the recent terrorist attack that happened in UAE as well, linked to conflict in Yemen. This is a regional issue that needs international intervention. Ireland will continue to try to make a constructive contribution towards bringing about a ceasefire.
