Mr. Colm Byrne:

I will try not to repeat what has been said. Without security there is no humanitarian response so we do take that extremely seriously, and we have an obligation, not just as humanitarian actors but also as employers. We are all funded by Irish Aid in South Sudan, and as part of the broader regional response, and we have a contractual obligation to adhere to Irish Aid security management guidelines. We have specialised security personnel on the ground. It is important to emphasise that we all co-ordinate with one another. We also have to be very careful about that and about how we communicate because it is not for us to be involved in military activity on the ground.

Cholera is an important issue. South Sudan has very little national and physical infrastructure, and very limited health services. Only 15% of people have safe access to good sanitary conditions and 30% do not have safe access to clean water. The conditions are ripe for the spread of cholera. Our concern is that the outbreak seems to have started in Juba or at least that is where the initial cluster of cases happened. There are also reports of it appearing across the country. As Juba is the main urban centre, the main centre of population and a major trade route we fear that it will spread. The good news is that the mortality rate as a result of cholera appears to be declining but it is still well in excess of what is considered safe. We feel there may be efforts to start to contain it but there is much more work to do and we should be very careful not to be complacent about that.

There has been significant international attention on the crisis. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, the UN special representative on genocide and the UN commissioner for human rights were there within a short period of one another at the start of May, prior to the signing of the re-commitment to the cessation of hostilities. There was an increase in the level of international attention. It is important to stress that it needs to be sustained for a long time. We cannot afford to let it drop, which is part of the reason for our presence here today.

Someone asked about political responsibility and the role of nations in the region. We should acknowledge the role of IGAD in that there has been a recommitment to a cessation of hostilities. An agreement was signed yesterday. African states are beginning to take a stronger leadership role and to demonstrate stronger political support for peace negotiations. Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya are hosting refugees from this crisis. Countries are taking responsibility, not only for the humanitarian response but also for the political process which is integral to a long-term political solution. There is a tendency to get frustrated with Africa and we should be careful not to talk about Africa as a whole. It is a country of many different states with huge cultural diversity and historical backgrounds of which we should be aware. We should also acknowledge where progress has been made.

Everybody has spoken about the planting window but I emphasise the concern that it may already be too late. The planting season for a good crop yield will end in the early weeks of June. A total of 1.3 million people have been displaced from their homes. They will not return home unless they feel safe. They will not be able to begin planting unless they have the seeds and tools to begin planting. Physically and psychologically they are traumatised by the ravages of war. We cannot expect suddenly to turn this around in the space of four to six weeks and expect everything to be ok. It will not work like that. Long-term support will be required to provide food, social and psychological support, shelter and medical assistance. There is a great deal of work to be done to turn this around. That is why we are stressing the urgency of timely, effective and flexible humanitarian funding.

We should also stress that there have been development gains in South Sudan, over the past three to five years. There is a risk that all of that will be undone right now, if we do not respond and make sure to provide humanitarian funding and funding for ongoing development activities.

As to whether the current agreement will hold, there is a risk that we are too critical at the outset. We need to give space and opportunity for the parties to the conflict to prove themselves. IGAD has been very critical of the parties to the conflict for not respecting the cessation of hostilities agreement. It has also demonstrated its ability to influence Riek Machar and President Kiir in the present context. We should be hopeful but there is also an obligation on the international community to continue this sustained pressure, interest and engagement and to keep this on the international agenda because it will not be resolved overnight.

The arms issue is very interesting. Anyone who has worked in South Sudan will know that the use of arms is widespread and is part of the culture. Even those in the cattle camps will carry a gun because this is the norm at this stage. Decades of conflict have resulted in a proliferation of arms. The international community needs to have respect for the arms trade treaty. Many of these guns end up in South Sudan and in other countries affected by conflict because people sell arms or are prepared to allow the transit of arms through their countries and on to countries affected by conflict in the full knowledge that human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law will occur. It is important to increase pressure on those states that have not signed the arms trade treaty and to show respect to those countries which have signed the treaty in order to keep this issue on the agenda.

The issue of sexual violence had not been discussed to a great degree until the launch of a number of reports on human rights. The level of sexual violence in South Sudan has been quite horrific. Ireland in particular has been very vocal on this issue of sexual violence and armed conflict and also on the issue of women, peace and security through the UN Security Council Resolution 1325. We should continue to support the Friends of 1325, the EU and the UN to keep Resolution 1325 on the agenda. I stress the importance of influencing the behaviour of armed groups and of those who bear arms on both sides and the civilian population but there is a need for increased respect for human rights and for international humanitarian law.