Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the activities of Al Shabaab are being restricted, curtailed or challenged with particular reference to the need to protect their victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3690/24]
View answerIreland strongly condemns the violence against civilians perpetrated by Al-Shabaab and supports international efforts to reduce its influence and assist affected populations.
During our 2021-22 term as an elected member of the UN Security Council, Ireland worked closely on the Al-Shabaab threat in Somalia, including chairing the Somalia Sanctions Committee. Ireland particularly influenced the creation of the mandate for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which has a critical role in directly combatting Al-Shabaab. Our work aimed to bolster Somalia’s security sector and help the authorities challenge Al-Shabaab’s control of large parts of the country.
We remain engaged on Somalia, both bilaterally and through the European Union, helping shape the EU’s support for ATMIS, the Somalia security sector, and the operation of relevant EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions. The EU is the main long-term partner of Somalia with significant assistance, amounting to over €4.3 billion since 2009, including €2.5 billion to support ATMIS and its predecessor Mission, and, more recently, the Somali National Army.
Since 2018, Ireland has provided over €40 million in direct humanitarian funding to Somalia, including over €6 million in 2023. This assistance is channelled primarily through UN partners and Irish non-governmental organisations on the ground. Ireland also supports development partners working to bolster community resilience and promote peace and stability, amounting to over €7.4 million since 2018. Over the next three years, Ireland has committed to provide €15 million to a new programme to address child wasting in the Horn of Africa, with a particular focus on the borderlands of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.
