Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 March 2022
113. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts that Ireland is undertaking at the United Nations and within the European Union to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15345/22]
View answerI am extremely concerned by the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which now has the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world.
In addition to responding to humanitarian need with over €5 million in Irish Aid funding last year, Ireland has been active on Afghanistan at the UN and within the European Union.
Since mid-August 2021, the UN Security Council has met five times to discuss Afghanistan. Each time, Ireland has underlined the need for full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, as well as the necessity to protect human rights, especially those of Afghan women, girls, and minorities. Ireland strongly supported the UN Security Council Resolution, adopted on 22 December 2021, which exempts humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan from UN sanctions against members of the Taliban.
Ireland will participate at a high level donor-pledging conference on Afghanistan on 31 March, at which donors will be asked to pledge their responses to a UN funding appeal for seeking approximately $5 billion to meet the emergency humanitarian needs within Afghanistan and of Afghan refugees in the region.
Ireland is also contributing to the EU response, which – along with Member States – allocated more than €1 billion in funding last year to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan to deliver humanitarian aid and to support basic needs. The EU has also established a humanitarian air bridge that has delivered over 280 tonnes of lifesaving medication, food and equipment against COVID-19 to Afghanistan.
In addition, Ireland contributes to support global funds and provides 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 2021, the CERF has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan.
