Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

European Council Meetings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 March 2018

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Ceisteanna (90)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

90. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to advocate at the EU Foreign Affairs Council for the need for EU members to work together with a view to working towards a resolution to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14203/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am extremely concerned about the current situation in Yemen, which is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The war is now ongoing for more than three years, and has had devastating consequences for civilians, with allegations of violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and significant loss of life. Ireland has provided over €11 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen since 2015, and we are committed to maintaining support. In 2017, Irish funding of over €5 million was allocated to the UN’s Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund (YHPF), which supports NGOs and UN agencies, including UNICEF, which have the best capacity to deliver services on the ground. Furthermore, the EU is the largest humanitarian donor to Yemen and has provided over €170 million in aid since the conflict began, to which Ireland contributes via the EU Development Budget. At the Foreign Affairs Council in December last year, I urged stronger EU action on humanitarian access in Yemen, and I will continue to raise these concerns with all appropriate interlocutors whenever opportunities arise.

Ireland has also worked in the UN system to address our grave concerns about human rights in Yemen. At the Human Rights Council in September 2017, Ireland was part of a small core group of countries that drove forward the adoption by consensus of a Resolution on Yemen. The resolution established a group of international experts to examine the facts in relation to violations of human rights and humanitarian law on the ground. This group will report back to the Human Rights Council, as an important step towards accountability in Yemen.

My predecessor, Minister Flanagan, raised concerns about the conduct of the war in Yemen and the humanitarian impact with Ministerial counterparts in Saudi Arabia and UAE on a number of occasions. More recently, officials from my Department met with the Saudi Embassy in Dublin late last year, and passed on my strong concerns in relation to humanitarian access. There have also been EU contacts with Saudi Arabia on this issue.

I believe that only way to bring about a long-term sustainable improvement in the situation for the Yemeni people is through a negotiated end to this conflict. Ireland welcomes the recent announcement of Martin Griffiths as the new Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Yemen and fully supports the efforts of UN Special Envoy and his team, who are working towards a peace agreement.

I would like to assure the Deputy that Ireland will continue to take every appropriate opportunity to urge stronger international action and will press for a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Yemen, as well as respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, and improved humanitarian access.

Question No. 91 answered with Question No. 51.
Question No. 92 answered with Question No. 57.
Barr
Roinn