Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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It is particularly poignant for me to be discussing this issue on the same day that the world celebrates the life of one of the most influential and courageous figures in our lifetime, Nelson Mandela. As someone who played such a pivotal role in the anti-apartheid regime in South Africa and whose name has become synonymous with peace and friendship and democracy, it would have deeply saddened him to hear of the atrocities being inflicted upon the citizens of the Central African Republic. Today, all the eyes of the world are fixed on the African continent. The Central African Republic is a nation of 4.5 million people, not unlike our own. It is bigger than France and in the heart of Africa. It has been gripped by violence since Muslim Séléka rebels, many of whom are fighters from neighbouring Sudan and Chad, seized power in the country in March this year. One tenth of the population has fled the sectarian violence since the Séléka rebel coalition seized power. It has developed rapidly into religious warfare, including targeted attacks on defenceless civilians, summary executions and mass displacement of communities.

The Central African Republic has experienced decades of coups and rebellions which have kept this mineral and diamond-rich country locked in a time warp since its independence from France in the early 1960s. Despite being rich in natural resources it remains one of the world's least developed economies. It also remains highly dependent on foreign aid, NGOs and the presence of peacekeepers and refugee camps. The need for further peacekeeping missions has become all the more immediate in the light of the recent violence that has erupted between the Muslims and Christians which has contributed to the deaths of more than 400 civilians in the past two days. It has been a tit-for-tat killing spree. I read an account of a 13-year-old boy who was brought onto the street in front of the house of a Christian fighter and shot dead by Muslim militia. This was done purely out of frustration since the rebel fighter was unable to fight the person he was looking for.

The scale of the current conflict is unprecedented. This month, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, ordered his officials to start preparing for the likely deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission. However, African leaders would prefer to give the African Union force time to stabilise the situation. Following the killing of French troops last night and given the scale of the killings that have occurred in recent weeks I believe the time waiting is over. The need for humanitarian aid has magnified in recent days. Will the Minister of State outline what the United Nations proposes to do in light of this conflict, before it is descends into warfare of genocidal proportions, reminiscent of the worst days of the Rwandan conflict and genocide?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ann Phelan for raising this matter. I assure her the Government is seriously concerned about the deteriorating position in the Central African Republic that she has just outlined. As the Deputy has acknowledged, in recent weeks there has been an alarming breakdown in law and order and basic social structures in the country, as well as a worrying increase in intercommunal violence and gross violations of human rights. As highlighted by the United Nations Secretary General in his report to the Security Council on 15 November, this conflict has the potential to escalate with untold consequences for the people of the Central African Republic and for the wider region. It is clear the national authorities no longer are in a position to guarantee the security of their citizens and the concerted efforts of the international community will be critical to ensure that order can be restored.

The Government welcomes last week's United Nations Security Council resolution that authorised the deployment of an African Union-led peacekeeping force for 12 months and the deployment of French troops to support the African Union mission. Acting under a United Nations mandate, the African Union-led peacekeeping mission will be responsible for the restoration of security in the Central African Republic from 19 December. At a summit in Paris last week, African leaders indicated that the number of African troops deployed to the Central African Republic would increase to 6,000. I commend the African Union on its leadership role in respect of the crisis and hopefully the peacekeeping mission can help to bring stability to the country and to restore security and public order, as well as helping to protect the civilian population. The African Union force is being complemented by up to 1,400 French peacekeeping troops on the ground It was with deep sadness that I learned this morning that two French soldiers had lost their lives in the violence in the Central African Republic overnight. I extend my sympathy to their families and to the French Government. I also welcome the decision of the Security Council to put in place an arms embargo against the Central African Republic. Given the threat posed by armed gangs, banning the export of arms to the country is an important step. Ireland supports strongly the actions of the United Nations, the African Union and France in their efforts to re-establish peace and security in the Central African Republic. Ireland is co-ordinating closely with its European Union partners to consider how best to support the efforts on the ground. Ireland supports a European Union proposal to provide funding to the African Union peacekeeping mission under the European Union's African peace facility fund.

As the Deputy noted, the entire population of 4.6 million people is affected by the crisis. The humanitarian needs are huge and multifaceted, with up to one third of the country's population of 4.6 million now in need of humanitarian assistance. The worsening security situation is increasingly limiting humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in need of assistance. Ireland is particularly concerned about the continued impact of the crisis on civilian populations who already were extremely vulnerable. Reports of widespread human rights violations, including killings, rapes and kidnappings are highly disturbing, as are increasing reports of sectarian violence. It is vital that all parties respect international humanitarian law, that civilians are protected and that humanitarian access be provided for United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations working in the Central African Republic. Ireland has a clear commitment to the Central African Republic and, since its establishment in 2008, has been one of the few long-standing supporters of the United Nations common humanitarian fund for that country. This year, Ireland has provided €2 million to the common humanitarian fund, thereby allowing the United Nations and non-governmental organisations present in the Central African Republic to undertake lifesaving work with the most vulnerable communities. Ireland will continue, in close co-operation with the United Nations, the European Union and non-governmental organisation partners, to monitor the humanitarian situation and to co-ordinate efforts in response to the unfolding and deep crisis in the Central African Republic. These issues will be addressed by the Foreign Affairs Council or in other words, by all the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the European Union, next Monday in Brussels.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I welcome the forthcoming addressing of these issues by the Foreign Affairs Council next Monday in Brussels because if one learns anything from history, it is that standing by is not an option. In 1994, the world stood idly by as warfare escalated in Rwanda and over a period of 100 days, 800,000 civilians were slaughtered. As a nation and as a member of the international community, Ireland has a responsibility and duty of care to the affected population of the Central African Republic, as in Rwanda and in respect of the current Syrian crisis.

I am conscious that children tend to be targeted in such conflicts. Children in conflict countries should be able to rely on adults, both inside and outside the country concerned, to take decisive steps to ensure their safety. This protection is their entitlement under humanitarian and human rights law, including the Geneva conventions. Unfortunately, in Syria these legal instruments have proven to be completely unable to fulfil any degree of security for children. I also am highly conscious that many of those who have been displaced have no access to shelter, food, water or any adequate living conditions.. The World Medical Association has called for all those who are wounded or sick to be treated and able to obtain medical care without fear of being attacked when so doing. However, in the Central African Republic, I understand there are only eight or nine surgeons throughout the entire country and consequently, one can imagine what that situation must be like. I wish to recall that Nelson Mandela himself dreamed of in Africa at peace. If he proved anything to me, it was that an individual can make a difference and I wish to prevail on the Minister to ascertain whether he can make his difference in his deliberations in Brussels.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I note Deputy Ann Phelan began and ended with Nelson Mandela and invoked his spirit and vision for Africa at the outset of her contribution. I wish to emphasise to the Deputy what the United Nations are doing in this regard, the response of the international community and the Irish view of and support for that. A very important point of difference between the position in the Central African Republic and what happened in Syria, which offers an important analogy, is the strong response the regional presence, namely, the African Union, now has put in place. I refer to the African Union presence in the Central African Public, as well as the role that France now is actively playing, as the Deputy acknowledged in her contribution. I noted France has already suffered for the presence it has put into that republic. The other steps that have been taken and which offer another important point of difference to the Syrian conflict concerns the prompt implementation of the arms embargo to prevent additional weapons getting into the hands of those who would be willing to use them and who would be all too willing to target vulnerable communities. In addition, as I mentioned in my earlier contribution, a fund is in place, to which Ireland has contributed strongly.

The European Union will consider how it can respond and in response to the Deputy's comments, I assure her this will be the first item on the agenda of the meeting of all the Foreign Affairs Ministers that will take place on Monday and at which the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will be representing Ireland. Were he present in the Chamber, he would have wished to make this point to the Deputy. The European Union and in particular, Commissioner Georgieva, will play an active role in trying to put in place a humanitarian response to this crisis. In the middle of August, the European Commission put in place a €10 million fund on foot of what had been happening there in the post-coup environment.

To date, €20 million has been provided to those most in need. I assure the Deputy that this humanitarian crisis will be given the attention it deserves. I refer to the role of the African Union which is operating under the mandate and the support of the United Nations. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. She is correct in her view that it is a significant tragedy on a day when we would all wish for a better future for the people of Africa.