Ms Caoimhe de Barra:

The issue is unfortunately an age-old one; it is related to the structure of the Security Council and the fact that, in particular, Russia and China tend to vote against anything that could have an impact on the sovereignty of any country for reasons that extend to precedents. There is also consideration around who supports which side of the conflict - the RSF and the SAF. An arms embargo would deprive the SAF of arms, as it would the RSF. There are parties who would like to see one perhaps gain the upper hand over the other. It is the problem around sovereignty and the complete stalling of anything that impinges on the sovereignty or future sovereignty of any state.

In terms of other authorities, there is the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, in east Africa, which has been active in many conflicts and with which Ireland has a relationship; I believe it is located in Addis Ababa. It is possibly worth a conversation through the Department of Foreign Affairs to see what is possible and what is being done at that level. In the African Union, issues around sovereignty also tend to be raised when these issues come up, unfortunately. I endorse what Ms McKenna said that until there are incentives for warring parties to come to the table or the incentives for them to continue are taken away - the continued fuelling of their warring by external parties - we are unlikely to see them willingly come to the table. Things have gone in reverse since the one meeting that looked successful which gave rise to the Jeddah declaration but that was in May 2023. Over the past summer, there were three conferences or three attempts to bring people to the able and each failed. They were all held in good faith but the forces at war did not participate and will not until the resources they are being given to prosecute the conflict are ended.