6 DFómh 2015, 14:37
Mr. Franz Rauchenstein of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will address the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade tomorrow on the situation in South Sudan.
6th October 2015
South Sudan became the world’s youngest country when it declared independence in 2011, but the outbreak of civil war at the end of 2013 has caused over 2.2 million people to flee their homes. Mr. Rauchenstein will brief the Committee on the ICRC’s work in South Sudan including providing humanitarian assistance, working with refugees and detainees, and promoting international humanitarian law.
Committee Chair, Pat Breen TD, says: “The conflict in South Sudan has caused a grave humanitarian crisis, and the signing of a peace agreement in August this year offers hope for the future to the people of South Sudan.
“However huge challenges remain, and tomorrow’s meeting will be an opportunity for the Committee to hear first-hand from Mr. Rauchenstein about the situation in the country, as well as how the ICRC is working to assist the affected population.
The meeting will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 7th October in Committee Room 3 at 10am.
Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
ENDS
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Committee Membership:
Deputies
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Ruairi Quinn, Labour
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil