Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2015
203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the situation in South Sudan remains under observation by the European Union, with a view to a making positive impact to protect civilians, establish the observance of human rights principles and set up safe havens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8661/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very concerned about the situation in South Sudan, which achieved its independence in 2011 but has been in turmoil since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013. Continuing violence and threats have forced almost two million people to flee their homes. The country’s warring parties signed another ceasefire agreement in February following regional talks led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which were supported by the African Union and the European Union. However, the current peace remains very fragile and the humanitarian situation is extremely serious. Reports that 89 young boys were abducted over the weekend in Upper Nile State, for use as child soldiers, are particularly worrying.
The European Union, through its Special Representative for the Horn of Africa and together with the international community, including Ireland, actively engages in trying to prevent the crisis escalating into a full-scale ethnic-based civil war. In particular, the EU supports repeated warnings from IGAD and the African Union that continued violations of the ceasefire or failure to finalise a political agreement will inevitably result in further sanctions by the international community.
The EU, including individual Member States, provided more than €267 million in humanitarian assistance to South Sudan in 2014. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently co-hosted a high-level conference on South Sudan at which donors pledged some $600 million in assistance. Since the outbreak of the conflict at the end of 2013, Ireland has provided almost €11 million for South Sudan, through UN partners and NGOs working to alleviate the suffering of the people of the country and refugees across the region. We have pledged a further €3 million so far in 2015. We will continue to monitor the political and humanitarian situation closely, through our Embassies in the region, and in cooperation with our EU partners and the United Nations.
