Irish Aid

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Questions (134)

Chris Andrews

Question:

134. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount that has been given by Irish Aid to support Sahrawi refugee camps located in Tindouf, Algeria, over the past five years; if more than one singular payment has been made; the amount that has been given per year; if a list will be provided of other non-monetary donations that have been made, for example foodstuffs, medical equipment, building materials and educational materials; the number of official visits Irish Aid has made to the Sahrawi refugee camps over the past five years; and the years in which these visits have taken place, if any, in tabular form. [48806/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

In accordance with the UN position, Ireland recognises Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory. Our long-standing policy is one of support for United Nations Security Council Resolutions on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. We do not have a view on the outcome of a decision on the future of the territory, as long as it is decided peacefully and in a genuine exercise of self-determination. During our term on the United Nations Security Council, Ireland consistently reiterated this position.

Over the past five years, Irish Aid has not provided direct funding to Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria. Ireland does, however, provide core funding to international organisations operating in the camps including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP). This core funding gives the agencies the flexibility to plan and target funding in the most strategic, efficient and effective manner.

The Government has provided €11.5 million in core funding for 2023 to UNHCR under a multi-annual agreement. It aims to ensure predictable financing to aid UNHCR in its longer term planning. UNHCR in Algeria works with the 90,000 most vulnerable refugees in the five camps near Tindouf.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine leads on Ireland’s engagement with the UN’s World Food Programme. In 2023, €25 million was provided in core funding to WFP through the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. WFP has provided uninterrupted assistance to the camps for over 30 years to address persistently high levels of food insecurity.

Ireland also provides pre-positioned funds to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which reacts rapidly and at scale when disasters happen. In 2022, the CERF allocated just over $3m to WFP and UNHCR specifically for Sahrawi refugees. In both instances this funding was specifically for the provision of food assistance to Sahrawi refugees. In 2022, Ireland provided €16.5 to the CERF and was the 10th largest donor to the CERF in that year.