Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.
Olivia Mitchell
Ceist:
185
Ms O. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will use all possible influence, in view of the horrific stories of hunger in the Hindu Kush region to ensure that food supplies are delivered to the Afghan people.
[2160/02]
The Government remains fully committed to supporting the vulnerable people of Afghanistan. This includes the ongoing provision of emergency humanitarian assistance and support for the process of national reconstruction in that country.
There are well over five million people in Afghanistan who still require humanitarian assistance. The need for an effective strategy to provide this assistance is borne out by the images we have witnessed of hunger in the Hindu Kush region and by the fact that a fourth successive year of drought is already being predicted.
The World Food Programme, whose work is being supported by the Government, delivered 116,000 tonnes of food aid into Afghanistan during December and is now making a determined effort to access those people who may remain at risk in isolated areas or due to localised conflict.
The crisis in the village of Bonawash in the Zarah district at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains has been addressed jointly by the WFP and the International Rescue Committee, which the Government also supports. Both organisations have joined forces in effecting the delivery of emergency food aid. WFP sent a special team to Zarah to see what aid was needed and how best to provide it while IRC sent doctors to attend to those at risk. Some 50 locally-employed workers used 400 donkeys to deliver these essential supplies along dangerous mountain terrain. An initial distribution of 1,400 tonnes of food aid took place in the Zarah district on 6 January and this is being augmented so that each person will have enough food to survive the harsh winter. WFP is also deploying additional helicopters to help respond to such acute food shortages in the more remote highland areas.
During 2001, a total of 5.08 million was provided by the Government in official humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan on behalf of the Irish people. Earlier this month, at the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan in Tokyo, I pledged a further 12 million in reconstruction assistance to that country over the coming three years. This pledge is in addition to our ongoing emergency relief and recovery assistance. The combination of our reconstruction and humanitarian commitments means that our support for Afghanistan during 2002 will at least equal, and likely exceed, that provided last year. While at the conference, I had a meeting with the Chairman of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan, Mr. Hamid Karzai, at which I reiterated Ireland's continued commitment to assisting the Afghan people.
Along with other donors in Tokyo, we reiterated the need for a strong complementarity between humanitarian assistance, recovery, reconstruction and development in Afghanistan. Ireland Aid officials will carry out an assessment mission to Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan in early February. The Government will continue to work closely with Irish NGOs, the UN, ICRC and our other implementing partners in support of the Afghan people.
