Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 27: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the current situation on Mali and on the international efforts being taken to address the ongoing conflict there; if he is concerned by recent comments by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on the destruction of Mali's cultural heritage in particular the attacks on ancient tombs in the legendary city of Timbuktu; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33492/12]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The situation in Mali is of serious concern to the Government and our partners in the European Union. In April, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed strong Conclusions which repeated the EU's condemnation of the seizure of power by force in Mali in March and called for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians and the restoration of civil, constitutional government.

The EU supports the efforts of the UN Security Council, the African Union and ECOWAS to ensure the restoration of constitutional order in Mali, and is ready to provide support for a civilian-led transition process. In this context, we welcomed the signing of a Framework Agreement on 6 April for the restoration of constitutional order, and urged all involved in Mali to ensure its timely implementation. The situation in the north of the country, including in the area around Timbuktu, is particularly unstable. The Government shares the strong international concern about reports of the destruction of properties and artefacts in the World Heritage Site at Timbuktu. We support the efforts by UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee to address this issue.

The Government, through Irish Aid, is contributing significantly to the humanitarian response in Mali and the wider Sahel region, where 15 million people are at risk. In response to this urgent situation, I have approved humanitarian funding of some €9.25 million already this year to help aid agencies on the ground to provide emergency food, water and healthcare to affected communities. This includes support for our NGO partners Christian Aid, Oxfam and Trócaire to reach some of the most vulnerable people in Mali with emergency food aid, as well as water and sanitation services. During my visit to Ghana last month, I also ordered the dispatch of emergency shelter, water and sanitation supplies from Irish Aid's pre-positioned humanitarian stockpiles in Accra.