Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

It is good to see Deputy Feighan here as Minister of State. I thank him for being here for this very important debate. I pay tribute to my colleague, Deputy Shane Moynihan, who has been raising this issue during Taoiseach's questions since the beginning of the year. Barry Andrews, MEP, raises it regularly in the European Parliament. This is a very important debate. As colleagues said, it has perhaps been overshadowed by conflicts in Gaza and the Middle East and Russia’s ongoing campaign of aggression against Ukraine and its other neighbours.

The scale of what has happened in Sudan, however, is horrific. Just looking at the number of displaced persons, 8 million people have fled from Venezuela because of the economic regime there and 11 million people have been displaced in Ukraine, but over 12 million people have already been displaced in Sudan. It is the largest displacement crisis in the world. This is before we even come to talk about those who have been killed, the tens of thousands of people who have been killed, and those who have had their families taken away from them. Colleagues have also mentioned the horrors of the gender-based violence since this war erupted in April 2023. We have seen gang rapes, sexual slavery and abductions, and UNICEF has reported young children being subjected to sexual violence. All war is horrific but the more I read about what has happened in Sudan, the more inhuman it is. The fact that, as a planet, we have allowed this and, indeed, other conflicts to continue is a stain on all of us.

There are certainly questions for other powers in the region. They will have to be involved in any peace agreement and I am glad they are now coming to the table. We know neighbouring countries, like Chad, Egypt and Ethiopia, are under pressure because of the refugees that have fled Sudan. We need to provide support to those countries as well in assist with their refugees. We do, however, need to call out global actors, and, yes, the United Arab Emirates, UAE, is among them. Unsurprisingly, Russia, which is again supplying arms, is among them. Indeed, Wagner mercenaries have been deployed in the area. China’s role in Africa also needs to be examined. While it may not be directly involved in war, China has certainly been involved in economic colonialism in Africa. There is a broader question here, then, than just Sudan. It is about the question of our approach in Ireland and the European Union to Africa and particularly concerning is how we can support Africans being able to make decisions for themselves about their future.

For us, I think it is critical, more than ever before, that Irish values around human rights, the rule of law and accountability are to the fore in any discussion. We also need to insist that it is the Sudanese people themselves who make a decision around their future. I refer to what more we can do, and colleagues have certainly mentioned humanitarian assistance. In Ireland we are right to be proud of the support we have provided. I know an additional package has now been agreed at EU level. This is critical in terms of support for families there. There are also long-term challenges, however, around sanitation and water supplies, for example. We need not just to provide money but to support Sudan with expertise. We are going to need to invest heavily in providing support for the clearing of mines. Even though conflicts end, problems with mines mean that thousands of people for years afterwards potentially face very serious injuries. We also need to address, as I mentioned, the gender-based violence that has gone on, some of which is particularly horrific.

I pay tribute to the team within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I think we should always be very proud of our diplomats, who are sometimes working in very difficult circumstances. It is why I have never believed in the idea of expelling diplomats or ending diplomatic relations, even with countries with which we very strongly disagree. The role of diplomats is to engage and try to ensure there are still doors open, so people can talk rather than engage in conflict.

We again need to look at the issue of accountability. Too often in all these conflicts, even though peace is finally obtained, those responsible for horrific war crimes are not held to account. There are targeted sanctions against certain individuals in Sudan. I think we need to go further than that. When this war is finished, those who have committed war crimes need to be held to account to ensure the victims see that justice has been done and to demonstrate an example to others in other conflicts that they cannot get away with it. I believe that for too long this has been a problem with many of the conflicts we have faced around the world.

Finally, this is one of those issues we need to talk about more. This issue will not get a lot of media coverage. It will not get the media attention other conflicts rightly get. Given the scale of depravity, though, it is something that we, right across this House, need to ensure we talk about in our own political parties and communities. The values I believe are dear to all our hearts, those Irish values, need to inform everyone in the State and we need to be aware of this conflict. I welcome the statement from the Minister for foreign affairs today. I know she comes from a very good place and any efforts she and the Government can make to end this horrific conflict should be supported.

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