Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for again raising this issue which, as he said, he rightly raised at the Oireachtas committee in recent weeks.

The Government remains deeply concerned by the conflict and the real humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Since April 2023, the situation has continued to deteriorate and the consequences are now clearly devastating. It is estimated that over 14 million people have fled their homes and almost 25 million people are in acute food insecurity, with some facing famine. The two main parties to the conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, are fighting on multiple fronts. Both are now responsible for large-scale attacks on civilians described by the United Nations as amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Recent attacks on Port Sudan and the UN convoy in North Darfur marked a significant escalation in hostilities. The RSF has now gained control of large parts of north Sudan along the Egyptian and Libyan borders. External actors are also providing military support to the parties and peace negotiations have, for all intents and purposes, effectively halted.

Ireland has supported very strong EU messaging on Sudan and we have initiated discussions on sanctions in 2023, which led to the establishment of the EU sanctions regime. Ireland initiated EU Council conclusions on Sudan in 2024, which condemned both the indiscriminate and direct targeting of civilians, called on parties to oblige by their obligations under international law and called for an immediate ceasefire and sustainable resolution of the conflict through dialogue.

We continue to respond to the crisis in close co-ordination with our EU and international partners. At the April Foreign Affairs Council, Ireland raised the urgent need for increased and flexible humanitarian funding and for sustained pressure in support of a cessation of hostilities and a return to negotiations. We have provided €14 million in humanitarian assistance for Sudan and neighbouring countries in 2024. So far this year, we have already provided €7.7 million to the Sudan humanitarian fund and direct funding to NGOs operating in Sudan. We will continue to engage through all diplomatic channels to keep Sudan on the international agenda and to support mediation efforts aimed at ending the conflict in the near future.

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