Written answers

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Human Rights Issues

9:00 pm

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 115: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will allocate humanitarian assistance to the 165,000 Saharuis living in the refugee camps in Algeria; if he will abstain from any support to Morocco in the European Union as long as Morocco does not respect the U.N. resolutions regarding the decolonisation of Western Sahara; and if he will demand full respect for human rights in the Western Sahara. [24994/12]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The humanitarian situation facing the Sahrawi people is a matter of profound concern. The majority of refugees from the Western Saharan conflict live in four camps in the desert regions of Tindouf in Algeria, all of which rely heavily on international aid. Ireland is one of a very small number of donors who have been involved in the provision of humanitarian support to the Sahrawi refugee population. Earlier this week, the Government approved €250,000 in support for UNHCR, the UN refugee agency which is one of the key agencies providing life-sustaining assistance to many of the refugees. This funding will help UNHCR to provide ongoing assistance to vulnerable people in the camps, notably in the areas of water and sanitation, health, nutrition and education. In addition to providing assistance in the Tindouf camps, UNHCR is also implementing a "Confidence Building Measures" programme which facilitates family visits between refugees living in the camps and their families in the Western Sahara.

Morocco is one of Europe's closest neighbours and is covered by the EU's European Neighbourhood Policy. The EU is engaged in wide-ranging cooperation with Morocco under the existing Association Agreement, including efforts to promote democratic reform and economic modernisation. Morocco is also a key partner for the EU in relation to tackling illegal migration. While Ireland disagrees with Morocco's policy in relation to Western Sahara, that would not in itself provide grounds for us to attempt to block overall EU cooperation with, or support for, Morocco as it seeks to introduce democratic reform and economic modernisation. In fact, I believe that the gradual process of democratisation underway in Morocco may assist in the long term in reaching a compromise with respect to Western Sahara. The EU's political dialogue with Morocco under the Association Agreement also provides an invaluable forum for raising concerns directly with the Moroccan Government as regards both the internal human rights situation in Morocco and the question of Western Sahara. Ireland continues to support the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and the continuing engagement of the United Nations in the search for a political solution in the territory based on the principle of self-determination. Addressing human rights issues is a key ingredient to the successful resolution of the conflict. We will raise our concerns about human rights issues in Western Sahara with the Moroccan Government during the Universal Periodic Review of Morocco which is taking place in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today. We will also continue our dialogue with both Morocco and Polisario, through the Moroccan Ambassador to Ireland and the local Polisario representative, so as to encourage support for the UN Secretary General's good offices mission and the efforts of Personal Envoy Ross to achieve some measure of political progress and increased confidence between both sides.

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