Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2022
27. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that Ireland is taking on the United Nations Security Council and within the European Union to ensure that steps are taken to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe occurring in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3887/22]
View answer58. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the role the United Nations is taking to protect citizens and their rights in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3907/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 58 together.
Ireland remains active in discussions on Afghanistan both at EU level and at the UN Security Council, where it has featured regularly on the agenda since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Promoting human rights and the protection of civilians are key priorities for Ireland on the Security Council. We have consistently advocated for Afghan women and girls, who must be treated as equal citizens, with rights to full and equal access to education, to healthcare, to freedom of movement and participation in public life. We have emphasised the need to maintain humanitarian access to address what is now the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Ireland strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution 2615, adopted on 22 December 2021, which exempts humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan from UN sanctions against members of the Taliban.
Ireland’s approach is consistent with the EU Council Conclusions on Afghanistan of September 2021, to which we contributed and which highlight the effect of the Taliban actions on civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, and on the gains made over the last two decades, which had been supported by the EU. Among the guiding principles agreed by the EU are that the Taliban must respect the independence of humanitarian operations and guarantee safe and unhindered access for all humanitarian staff, including all female staff, and that they must promote, protect and respect all human rights, in particular the full enjoyment of rights of women and girls.
I remain gravely concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. The continued absence of many non-governmental organisations, civil society networks, and diplomatic missions from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover has made the role of the UN in monitoring and reporting on developments inside Afghanistan, especially on human rights, more important than ever before. Representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have met regularly with high-ranking members of the Taliban administration to highlight Afghanistan’s human rights obligations under international law. The mandate for UNAMA is due to be renewed by the UN Security Council by 17 March. Ireland will advocate strongly for the maintenance of human rights tasks in that mandate, to operate in tandem with the implementation of last October’s EU-led resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on the “Situation of human rights in Afghanistan”, which establishes a mandate for a Special Rapporteur, to be appointed at the March 2022 session.
The UN launched a funding appeal on 11 January, seeking approximately $5 billion to meet the emergency humanitarian needs within Afghanistan and of Afghan refugees in the region. This is the largest such humanitarian appeal ever issued by the UN. Since the Taliban seizure of power, the EU and its Member States have allocated more than €1 billion in funding to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan, for both humanitarian aid and for supporting basic needs (‘humanitarian plus’). The EU also established a humanitarian air bridge that in 2021 delivered 280 tonnes of lifesaving medication, food and equipment to address COVID-19 to Afghanistan.
In addition, the Government through its Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid, has provided over €4 million in humanitarian support for the people of Afghanistan since mid-August. This funding has been allocated to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and UNICEF. These emergency response programmes are addressing the urgent needs of the population, including providing food aid, treatment for severe acute malnutrition in children, and other essential services. Ireland’s humanitarian funding to Afghanistan increased fivefold in 2021 to over €5 million – with the remainder provided at the beginning of the year to Concern Worldwide, HALO Trust and the AHF.
In addition, Ireland contributes to support global funds and provide core funding to key agencies that allocate funding to Afghanistan, including the EU, WHO, UNHCR, IFRC, ICRC and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Ireland was the 9th largest donor to the CERF in 2021, providing €11 million. Since August, the CERF has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan.
