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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 5

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

36 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress the UN Security Council has made in securing the opening of the borders to Afghanistan in order to facilitate the speedy delivery of aid and to secure the safety of refugees. [29248/01]

The Government has repeatedly called for the early reopening of Afghanistan's borders to refugees, including at the UN Security Council and at the 56th Session of the UN General Assembly. We continue to call on the relevant countries and the international donor community to work together so that we can achieve this as part of our response to the evolving refugee situation. This objective is central to the Government's strong emphasis on the necessity for a visible and effective strategy for meeting the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people over the coming period.

At UN level, the related issues of refugees and opening borders have been raised directly with both the Pakistani and Iranian Governments by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers, during his working visit to their respective capitals. In recent weeks, Afghan refugees in Iran have started to return home. The number choosing to exercise this option has risen to an average of 800 per day and recently peaked at 1,300 people. Overall, it is estimated by the UN that about 12,000 refugees have returned voluntarily to Afghanistan from Iran since 1 November. People who have been displaced within Afghanistan are also gradually returning home. All of these refugees and internally displaced people will need ongoing humanitarian support to survive the winter and to re-establish their livelihoods.

Should the situation in Afghanistan stabilise further, the UN High Commission for Refugees anticipates that even more people will return to the country. The UNHCR is, therefore, exploring how it may assist those refugees who might similarly wish to return from Pakistan. At the same time, it is improving conditions for existing refugees, including through their relocation to better-serviced camps. One such camp has been established in Kotkai, Pakistan, with space for up to 20,000 people. While the massive refugee move ments initially anticipated have not happened, there is no room for complacency. I, therefore, reiterate the Government's call on neighbouring countries to reopen their borders so as to allow the relevant agencies deal effectively with the refugee situation.
Recent improvements in aid delivery have resulted from concerted international action. Ireland has been strongly supportive of a number of special missions which were carried out to countries on Afghanistan's borders and which arose from the consultation process we spearheaded during our presidency of the UN Security Council. In addition to the visit to the region made by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, visits have also been made by the UN Secretary General's two special representatives to Afghanistan and by the UN Under-Secretary General with responsibility for the co-ordination of humanitarian aid.
These special missions have led to improved aid delivery and humanitarian access to Afghanistan through neighbouring countries such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan. Along with our bilateral efforts on behalf of Irish NGOs, they have also led to an easing of the visa restrictions which had been inhibiting the work of international aid staff. The World Food Programme has delivered over 55,000 tonnes of food aid to Afghanistan since the beginning of October and has total stocks of 88,000 tonnes in the region to support millions of people.
At EU level, the delivery of humanitarian aid remains an absolute priority and will be subject to closer co-ordination between member states and the Commission, as well as with specialist humanitarian agencies, donor support groups and NGOs. Bilaterally, the £4 million – 5.08 million – provided by Ireland in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan this year is balanced in its delivery between those at risk within the country and those who are seeking protection in neighbouring states such as Pakistan and Iran. This is being provided through Irish NGOs such as Concern, Trócaire, GOAL and Christian Aid, and through the appropriate UN and International Red Cross and Red Crescent agencies who have the necessary working access to deliver aid to those most in need.
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