Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 March 2008
90 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the position in Darfur; the initiatives taken by the European Union in order to assist in the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10300/08]
Amharc ar fhreagra285 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he and his EU or UN colleagues continue to monitor the situation in Chad, Darfur and neighbouring countries with particular reference to addressing war, strife, starvation and human rights abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10705/08]
Amharc ar fhreagra286 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the ongoing situation in Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10706/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 90, 285 and 286 together.
The situation in Darfur remains dire, and the suffering of its people continues unabated. The fracturing of the main rebel groups over the past year, and the apparent determination of the Government of Sudan to pursue a military solution, at a high price in suffering for ordinary people, make the search for peace even more difficult. A recent UN update estimates that approximately 30,000 people have been newly displaced across Darfur since the beginning of 2008. Ongoing conflict, including targeted attacks against aid workers and their assets, continues to constitute a major obstacle to humanitarian operations. In 2007, the EU collectively contributed some €320 million in funding to humanitarian endeavours across Sudan. Since 2006, the Irish Government has committed over €46 million in assistance to the people of Sudan, including Darfur. However, the international community must go beyond alleviating the symptoms of this humanitarian crisis, and the EU and Ireland fully support UN and African Union efforts to bring about a lasting peace.
The peace talks on Darfur which the UN and African Union are mediating represent a vital window of opportunity in this regard, and all of the parties bear a responsibility to use this opportunity to seek to resolve their grievances peacefully. The UN and AU have sent emissaries to speak with the rebels who have been boycotting the talks, and it is hoped that formal talks will restart soon. So far, the process has been disappointingly slow, and a lack of political will is apparent on all sides — for example, the Government of Sudan stepped up military activity in Darfur during February. Despite these discouraging developments, there is no alternative to a political solution. Bilaterally Ireland has contributed €500,000 to the UN Trust Fund in support of the peace talks.
Although peace will not come to Darfur until a political accommodation has been reached, UNAMID, the AU/UN hybrid force, has a role to play in re-establishing a secure environment and creating a breathing-space for the people of Darfur while negotiations continue. However, UNAMID, which took over from the African Union Mission in Sudan on 1 January 2008, is being hampered by the obstructive attitude of the Sudanese authorities to non-African participation, which recently forced one of our EU partners to withdraw an offer to contribute troops. UN Secretary General Ban is working hard on force generation for UNAMID, and I hope that his efforts will soon bear fruit.
The General Affairs and External Relations Council in January was briefed by UN Special Envoy Jan Eliasson on progress. The Council expressed its support for the pursuit and implementation of political solutions in Darfur and between north and south Sudan, while also calling for full co-operation with the International Criminal Court and urging Sudan and Chad to refrain from incursions into each other's territory and support for rebel groups. In this regard, the severe deterioration in Chad-Sudan relations is very disturbing, though I believe that the deployment of the European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR Tchad/RCA, will be a stabilising factor in the region. I welcome the fact that the GAERC has decided to keep the option of further sanctions on the table until the Sudanese Government, as well as other parties, is co-operating fully with the peace process, with UNAMID, and with humanitarian agencies.
