Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I offer comhghairdeas to the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, formally on the record of the House.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on Sudan. It is very important and my colleague, Deputy Shane Moynihan, and others have raised it several times. It is very important that this discussion happens. The ongoing situation in Sudan is one of the gravest humanitarian emergencies in the world. It is a conflict defined by mass displacement, famine conditions and systematic attacks on civilians. It is a crisis that demands far more international attention and co-ordinated action than it has received to date. Sudan is now the largest displacement crisis in the world, with millions of people forced from their homes and millions more living in conditions of acute hunger. Entire regions have been devastated, most starkly in Darfur, and there are credible reports of ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. The images and testimonies emerging from El Fasher and surrounding areas are harrowing. They point to widespread breaches of international humanitarian and human rights laws, including acts which, if verified, amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Ireland has played an important role in ensuring these crimes do not go unnoticed. As part of the Sudan core group, we helped secure a human rights council resolution establishing an urgent fact-finding mission for El Fasher and expanding the international investigation of violations. That work must continue because without documentation and accountability, the cycle of violence will persist. We have also supported the EU's targeted sanctions regime, including the recent restrictive measures on senior Rapid Support Forces leaders. That is a necessary step; those fuelling atrocities, whether through command responsibilities, illicit finance or arms flows must face consequences.

However, while accountability matters, it will not in itself feed a starving population.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan is catastrophic. Over 20 million people face crisis levels of hunger and aid agencies are warning of famine in several regions. Access for the UN and NGOs remains dangerously restricted. Bureaucratic obstacles, insecurity and deliberate interference continue to choke off life-saving assistance. Ireland has responded, however. This year alone, we have provided significant humanitarian funding to Sudan and to neighbouring states hosting large refugee populations. Our diplomats, particularly in Geneva and New York, have worked tirelessly in pressing for humanitarian access and a sustained international response. It is clear, however, that other EU member states and global partners must scale up their contributions too.

UN appeals for Sudan remain critically underfunded. Until the gap is closed, conditions will worsen. That is why the commitment made at the recent G20 Summit in South Africa is so important. I welcome the Taoiseach’s engagement at that summit, at which he highlighted Sudan directly and joined leaders in calling for a just and lasting peace. International political focus is essential. When the G20 speaks with one voice it strengthens the hand of the UN, the African Union and mediators who are trying to secure a humanitarian ceasefire. A ceasefire is urgently needed. It is clear that the primary responsibility for ending this conflict rests with the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. External actors have influence, however, and influence must be used to bring pressure to bear. We know that foreign arms and money have sustained both sides in this war. We know that Russian-linked networks, including successors to the Wagner Group, have profited from Sudanese gold and helped fuel instability. We also know that without co-ordinated diplomacy, outside powers will continue to hedge their bets, prolonging the conflict rather than helping to resolve it.

The EU must, therefore, intensify its work to enforce the UN arms embargo, curb illicit financing and press regional actors, particularly in the Gulf and across the Red Sea, to end support that enables further violence. This is also important for Sudan’s neighbours because this conflict is not contained within its borders alone. South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic and Egypt are all under immense strain as refugees flee the fighting. Supporting those states is not an optional extra; it is central to preventing further destabilisation. The EU should front-load assistance for food, shelter, education and local infrastructure in host communities so that the arrival of large numbers of refugees does not spark new crises.

This debate comes in the same week that we learned of another appalling incident in Africa, namely, the mass abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Niger State in Nigeria. Over 300 people were taken and while many escaped, more than 260 children remain missing. I raised this issue on Tuesday with the Taoiseach, who expressed his concern for the safety of the children and their teachers. I would welcome confirmation from the Minister that her officials are raising the issue at the EU and UN and, indeed, will raise the issue of religious persecution generally. This issue reminds us that insecurity in one region of Africa can quickly have consequences for its neighbours. Ireland should support efforts to secure the safe release of those children. At EU level, we must continue to back programmes that strengthen school safety, community protection and early-warning systems for violence in Nigeria and the wider region. It is only by supporting stability, from Sudan across the Sahel and into West Africa, that we can prevent these kinds of horrors from recurring.

Sudan is a crisis of unimaginable scale. If the world turns away now, famine will take hold, atrocities will continue and the conflict will spill further across a fragile region. Ireland must continue to play its part by pressing for a humanitarian ceasefire, demanding accountability for those committing violations, supporting UN and African Union efforts to secure access for aid and urging our EU partners to match the ambition and leadership that Ireland has shown. Above all, though, we must ensure that the people of Sudan and the millions displaced across its borders are not forgotten. Their survival, and their hope for peace, depend on sustained international action. Ireland has been a strong voice on this issue. We should continue to be so.

See this speech in context