Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on recent developments in Yemen and statements made by the European Union in that regard. [43153/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Recent events in Yemen highlight the fragility of the state and the challenges it faces in combating terrorism. The mail bombs discovered last month in aircraft in the UK and Dubai coupled with the assassination of approximately 100 government officials in recent months underscore the serious nature of the threat posed by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The stability of the country is also threatened by the al-Houthi rebellion in the northern province of Sa'ada and the secessionist movement in the southern part of the country.

The Government of Yemen declared a ceasefire with the Houthi rebels in February 2010. The ceasefire calmed fighting in the northern province but the situation remains tense and the number of internally displaced persons has created a significant humanitarian problem in the areas affected by the fighting. The Government, through Irish Aid, allocated humanitarian assistance of €200,000 in 2009 through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist those displaced by the violence. The secessionist movement in the southern part of the country, initially a peaceful popular protest movement, has started specifically targeting security forces and security installations.

The current security tensions are exacerbated by the worsening socio-economic situation in Yemen, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach aimed at achieving progress across a range of fronts in Yemen. The Friends of Yemen group, which consists of large donors to Yemen including the EU, has met twice, to date, with the aim of coordinating international support to Yemen. At its most recent meeting in New York on 24 September, the Friends of Yemen agreed to support a range of economic and political reforms within Yemen, including a counter-radicalisation strategy, designed to tackle the underlying causes of terrorism.

The Government supports the EU's comprehensive approach to Yemen encompassing security, counter-terrorism, political dialogue, humanitarian and economic assistance. The EU emphasised the need for Yemen to continue with its programme of domestic political and economic reforms in Council Conclusions in January this year. I echo High Representative Ashton's statement in July this year welcoming the agreement on national dialogue. The national dialogue process offers the key to unlocking progress on many issues including economic and political reform and national reconciliation.