Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last month, during my meeting in Dublin with Commissioner Stylianides, I discussed the European Union's new humanitarian initiative for Aleppo which was launched in rapid response to the recent and disturbing escalation of the conflict in Aleppo. This joint EU-UN initiative includes two main elements: first, to facilitate the urgent delivery of basic life saving assistance to civilians in eastern Aleppo and, second, to ensure the medical evacuations of the wounded and the sick, with a focus on women, children and the elderly. I also discussed this issue with my EU counterparts at last week’s Foreign Affairs Council. At that meeting it was agreed that "the EU will continue intensive humanitarian diplomacy and seek ways to improve access and protection as well as to promote humanitarian principles and local consensus on guidelines for the delivery of aid". I expect Ireland to provide additional support in the near future for people affected by the crisis.

It is clear that the Assad regime and its allies, including Russia, are determined to prevent humanitarian access from reaching civilian populations in opposition-held areas. While supporting the population in Aleppo is a critical priority, the attack by the Assad regime and its allies against a humanitarian convoy in September underlines the risks to humanitarian actors.

The Government has provided unprecedented humanitarian assistance, totalling €62 million, for the Syrian people since 2012. My EU colleagues and I spoke on Monday, 17 October, to UN Special Envoy de Mistura, underlining our continuing and strong support for his efforts to stem the destruction of Syria and her people. We remain engaged through the European Union in the International Syria Support Group and continue to support efforts to find political solutions to the appalling conflict in Syrian.

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