Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive engagement. This meeting has concentrated, for the most part, on the humanitarian situation and response. I will ask the Minister of State, before we conclude, about the political situation in the region. It seems to me that there is a perfect storm as a consequence of the Russian war in Ukraine that has resulted in food shortages. We can also see the catastrophic effects of climate change on the ground. There is also the conflict situation in the region. I am pleased to note the recent permanent cessation of hostilities, it is perhaps too early to call it an agreement, reached earlier this month between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front. That agreement, if it can be called that, at least allowed for a humanitarian response to take place in the areas that have been riven by humanitarian crises in recent years. Thirteen million people are in need of aid and 2 million people have been displaced. It seems that sticking with and implementing that agreement is now crucial.

I join other members in paying tribute to the hardworking team of NGOs from Ireland and other countries in the region providing a life-saving response. I mention also our presence in Addis Ababa, particularly the ambassador, H.E. Ms Nicola Brennan, and her team operating in the most difficult and challenging of circumstances.

This was referred to earlier by other members in terms of the involvement of the international community, the European Union and the United Nations Security Council. Is the Minister of State optimistic or hopeful that the situation can improve? I note the Security Council is likely to meet again before the end of the year with this issue on the agenda. We certainly take the point the Minister of State made that perhaps at a parliamentary level, with our European colleagues and international colleagues, there might be a framework to facilitate our doing more. I suppose my question when concluding this session is, how does the Minister of State see the political situation and political developments and following his visit, is he hopeful or optimistic that the international community, with goodwill from those in charge in the region, might be in a position to improve matters?