Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 January 2024
53. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the efforts of the Irish Government and his engagements with his European counterparts regarding alleviating civil strife and humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3274/24]
View answerThe Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced periodic conflict over many decades, with increasing insecurity and violence in eastern DRC. The ongoing conflict in is driven by a number of factors, including competing attempts by armed groups to control the rich mineral resources of the region.
Elections were held in DRC in December 2023 in the context of a ceasefire that largely held. They saw the re-election of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. However, tensions between the DRC and Rwanda have remained at a high level. We and our EU partners have expressed concern at this high level of regional tension and we stress the importance of regional efforts to reduce tensions.
We worked closely with our EU partners on the development of a new EU strategy for the wider Great Lakes region that was adopted in 2023, with a particular focus on the eastern provinces of the DRC. We fully support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries in the region and condemn any support to local or foreign armed groups. Ireland has also emphasised the importance of the engagement of national and regional organisations in promoting peace and stability and note the contribution by Angola and Kenya to advancing a peaceful resolution and the recent decision by the Southern African Development Community to deploy a multinational force to eastern DRC.
Almost 27 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in DRC. There are an estimated 6.9 million people internally displaced, while over a million refugees from the DRC are in neighbouring countries. The DRC itself hosts more than half a million refugees.
Ireland directly provided over €8 million in asssitance in 2023 in response to the situation in DRC. Over €4.6 million has been allocated to long-term development and chronic humanitarian crisis programmes under Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership. Five partners (Christian Aid Ireland, Concern Worldwide, Oxfam Ireland, Trócaire and World Vision Ireland) are operating in DRC. In addition, we have provided €3.8 million to UNICEF to address child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa,, earmarked for DRC. Following recent flooding in DRC, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided $3.6 million in immediate assistance. Ireland provided €14.5 million to the CERF in 2023. The Start Fund, an NGO-managed pooled fund, is providing €145,000 in response to flooding in DRC. In 2023, Irish Aid provided €1,400,000 to the Start Fund. In 2023 the EU provided almost €92 million in humanitarian funding to address the needs of the most vulnerable people in the DRC.
We will continue to work with EU and other partners to promote peace and stability and address humanitarian need in DRC.
