Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 November 2022
113. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline Ireland's remaining priorities before the end of its term on the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57822/22]
View answerSince taking up our seat on the UN Security Council in January 2021, we have been actively engaged right across the Council’s wide agenda.
We have brought our principled and independent perspective to a range of key issues, in line with the core principles of Building Peace, Strengthening Conflict Prevention and Ensuring Accountability. We will continue to be active and constructive until the very end of our term, and to highlight injustices, and call out violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses.
We are working for positive outcomes across the broad range of geographic and regional situations on the Council’s agenda, particularly with respect to Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, but also including Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia, Colombia, the Middle East, and Syria, where we have worked closely with Norway to ensure the continuation of cross-border humanitarian assistance; and on thematic issues, such as climate and security; conflict and hunger; women, peace and security; youth, peace and security; and the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Ireland remains active on the Security Council’s subsidiary bodies, including the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which we co-chair, and the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC). We are also the focal point, together with Brazil, on the Conflict and Hunger file and will be facilitating a number of important discussions on this over the weeks ahead. We will also continue to work towards ensuring strong language on these issues in relevant Security Council texts.
Ireland is also working with the US on a draft Security Council Resolution for a humanitarian carve-out to apply across all UN sanctions regimes. This Resolution would have tangible and positive impacts for humanitarian organisations working in some of the most challenging environments around the world.
With ensuring accountability one of the principles underpinning our engagement on the United Nations Security Council, and a key foreign policy priority, we will also continue to support and defend the International Criminal Court, and to seek accountability in all relevant international fora.
