Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 April 2024
45. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the deteriorating situation in Haiti and if he will support the humanitarian efforts in Haiti through both the Irish Aid programme and pooled funds such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. [15544/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ongoing security crisis in Haiti, and its impact on human rights together with the deteriorating humanitarian situation, is extremely concerning.
I echo the support expressed by the UN Secretary General for the establishment of a Transitional Council for Haiti, in line with the 11 March agreement brokered by the Caribbean Community. A Haitian-led political process will help address this multifaceted problem. The next step is for the Transitional Council to nominate an interim Prime Minister and Cabinet, which in turn would help define a pathway to free and fair elections. Swift deployment of a multinational security support mission, as requested by the Haitian government, remains essential. Ireland supported the establishment of such a mission during the final months of our term on the UN Security Council.
Last month's Foreign Affairs Council and European Council both expressed the EU's concern at the deteriorating situation in Haiti, in particular the impact on the people of Haiti. This concern was also manifest in the EU’s Item 4 statement at the 2 April session of the Human Rights Council.
My Department, through the Irish Aid programme, provided over €2.8m in humanitarian and civil society funding to Haiti in 2023. This was in addition to the Irish Aid contribution to pooled funds such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which allocated over $US26 million to Haiti in 2023. Ireland provided €14.5 million to the CERF last year. On 4 April, the CERF announced an allocation of $US12 million to support people impacted by the violence in Haiti. This allocation will go towards providing food, water, protection, healthcare, sanitation and hygiene support to displaced people and host communities.
Haiti is the main recipient of EU humanitarian assistance in Latin America and the Caribbean, with at least €470.5 million allocated since 1994 and €20 million in humanitarian assistance allocated in response to the current crisis. In addition, €120 million has been allocated for EU development funding to Haiti for the period 2021-24.
