Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 11 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 7

Written Answers. - Humanitarian Emergencies.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

27 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the countries where there are serious humanitarian concerns; the countries where crises prevail, where there is killing, murder and violence on a massive scale and where refugees are facing escalating problems; if he will give a breakdown in each case; if he will give details of the factual information known in this regard; the consideration, if any, given to assisting these countries; and the progress, if any, made in each situation. [24017/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The Deputy's question draws attention to an issue of great international and public concern and requests information of a comprehensive character. In response, I will aim to provide an overview of the current situation as regards humanitarian emergencies, and I will be happy to provide more detailed explanations in respect of individual crises if requested to do so.

During the past decade the scale, character, frequency, location, cost and complexity of manmade humanitarian emergencies around the world has changed and the number of persons in need of humanitarian assistance increased almost 60 per cent in the last ten years. The social and economic cost associated with humanitarian emergencies, including the number of deaths, has been staggering. It is estimated that there are some 41.5 million refugees and internally displaced people who are dependent on humanitarian aid.

In response to the increase in the number of humanitarian crises the United Nations Secretary General established the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in 1991 as a focal point in the UN system to co-ordinate the response to these crises and to provide early warning of potential disasters. The United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs publishes a list of ongoing humanitarian emergencies worldwide and summary of requirements and contributions to those emergencies. The list currently includes emergencies in sub-Saharan Africa, South and East Asia, Caucasus and Central Asia, the Middle East and the Balkans. I am arranging for this list to be lodged in the Dáil Library.

My Department, working in close partnership with the EU member states, continues to monitor all these crises. The European Union is now the foremost single donor of humanitarian aid and has played a vital role in mobilising support both for the short-term humanitarian aid and for the longer term purposes of rehabilitation and development.

In view of the mounting humanitarian crises in 1992, the European Commission set up the European Community Humanitarian office — ECHO — to co-ordinate emergency aid efforts, and to provide rapid and appropriate support during the first six months of an emergency. In 1995 over 60 per cent of ECHO funding was targeted to refugee problems and funding of 692 million ECU was provided to over 60 crisis stricken countries. The UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs prepares consolidated UN Inter-Agency appeals, on behalf of all the UN agencies and the International Red Cross, and coordinates the programmes of the UN agencies in response to humanitarian emergencies.

My Department allocates grants to support the relief efforts of international aid agencies and NGOs each year from the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Fund. This year £8.0 million will be disbursed from the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Fund to almost all the major humanitarian crises which have taken place in 1996. Each year a complete table of all grants listed is detailed in Annex 20 of the Irish Aid Annual Report. I also refer the Deputy to the European Commission 1995 Annual Report on Humanitarian Aid.