Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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293. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU is seeking to send persons back to war-torn Afghanistan as a part of a broader policy to return asylum seekers who refuse to be deported voluntarily; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the UN agency in Afghanistan, UNAMA, has recently documented the highest level of civilian casualties since record taking started; and his views on the proposal to return persons to this war-torn country. [29600/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The protracted conflict in Afghanistan has cost many thousands of lives and huge suffering to the Afghan people. Afghanistan continues to face huge challenges and it is vital that there is continued international support and commitment to create a political, social and economic environment to consolidate peace, security, sustainable development and prosperity. The recent report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which revealed a disturbing increase in civilian casualties in the first half of 2016, highlights the need for ongoing engagement by the international community.

Last week, at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, jointly hosted by the European Union and the Government of Afghanistan, participating States - including Ireland - and international organisations reaffirmed their commitment to providing ongoing assistance. Collectively they pledged approximately €13.6 billion ($15.1 billion) over the 4 year period from 2017 to 2020. This assistance will be directed to several key areas including poverty reduction, tackling corruption, addressing issues of migration, strengthening the rule of law and enhancing human rights, particularly for women and girls.

European Union-Afghanistan cooperation in the area of migration is addressed in the Joint Way Forward on Migration(JWF), which was signed in Kabul on 2 October. This provides for cooperation in the fight against smuggling and people trafficking, information and awareness raising. It aims to provide for a “smooth, dignified and orderly return” of those Afghan nationals who do not fulfil the conditions for remaining in the EU after “consideration of all relevant international law and legal procedures” and who “cannot be granted international protection status”. The JWF further provides for reintegration assistance, and specific humanitarian consideration for vulnerable groups, including women and children. The EU and the Afghan Government have agreed to implement this in full respect of their existing national, international and UN commitments when considering individual cases, including the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 New York Protocol, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

Ireland will remain steadfast in its support for Afghanistan as it continues on the path to stability. Since 2005 we have provided some €47 million in assistance in areas such as mine clearance, food security and emergency response to natural disasters. At the Brussels Conference on Afghanistanlast week we indicated our intention to maintain that support, up to 2020, at or near our current levels of €2.5 million per annum.