Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the briefing provided by his Department on the issues affecting the region in preparation for the deployment of Irish troops to Chad. [30871/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My officials have provided information to the Department of Defence on the political and humanitarian situation in Chad, the Central African Republic and the wider region in the context of preparations for Irish involvement in EUFOR Tchad/RCA. I also briefed my Cabinet colleagues on the results of my visit to Sudan and Chad at the Government meeting on 20 November at which a decision was taken on an Irish contribution to EUFOR Tchad/RCA. For more information on my visit as well as details of the current situation in Chad and neighbouring Darfur, I refer the Deputy to my reply today to Questions Nos. 115 and 120.

As regards the Central African Republic (CAR), the already fragile situation has been exacerbated by the activities of criminal gangs, the spill-over of instability from Darfur and Chad and armed rebellions in the north-west and north-east. Since late 2006, UN reports have described the conflict in the border areas between Darfur, Chad and CAR as a threat to peace and security in the whole region. Approximately 170,000 people have fled their homes in CAR since 2005; more than 43,000 refugees from CAR reside in camps in southern Chad; and 20,000 people are thought to have fled to Cameroon. These displaced people are in dire need of protection and humanitarian assistance. Deployment of the EUFOR Tchad/RCA mission is obviously intended to assist in this regard. Gender based violence is widespread, and some rebel groups use child soldiers. Both the CAR military and police are in need of urgent reform to allow them to provide security while abiding by basic human rights standards. Since late 2006, President Bozizé has been trying to reunite the country through a process of inclusive political dialogue, involving the opposition and civil society. Through talks he also reached a peace agreement with some of CAR's rebel factions in early 2007. These efforts have been welcomed by the international community but much more remains to be done.