Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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355. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the situation in South Sudan remains under observation by the European Union with a view to making positive impact to protect civilians, establish the observance of human rights principles and or the setting up of safe havens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32093/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The European Union maintains a strong focus on South Sudan where ongoing violence and human rights abuses compound an extremely serious humanitarian situation in one of the most fragile countries in the world.

Despite the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity in April 2016, acts of violence and human rights abuses continued in South Sudan. In July, a serious outbreak of fighting between Government and Opposition forces resulted in the deaths of at least 300 people, including two UN peacekeeping troops.

Following the violence in July, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted Conclusions South Sudan on 18 July. The Council condemned in the strongest terms the attacks on civilians, UN compounds, diplomatic officials and aid workers arising from the widespread violence. The Council Conclusions urged the Government of South Sudan to respect international humanitarian law, and noted that the South Sudanese population had suffered grave abuses, including gender based violence and forced displacement. The Council also commended all neighbouring countries for keeping borders open and hosting South Sudanese refuges, which are now estimated to number over 1 million.

High Representative Federica Mogherini released a statement on behalf of the European Union on 20 September, reiterating the call for the South Sudanese Government to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, as detailed in the Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan, which was agreed by both sides to the civil war in August 2015. The statement also called for the opening of an investigation into all crimes committed during the outbreak of violence in July.

The EU is also among the most generous donors of humanitarian assistance in South Sudan, providing over 40% of all humanitarian aid directed to the crisis in 2016.

Ireland also maintains a strong focus on South Sudan through targeted humanitarian assistance, interventions at the Human Rights Council, and engagement at EU level informed by ongoing monitoring by our Embassy in Addis Ababa.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in December 2013, Ireland has provided €28 million in humanitarian assistance through our UN, Red Cross and NGO partners on the ground. This year, Ireland has provided €8.5 million in humanitarian assistance for food and livelihood assistance, treating acute malnutrition, providing shelter and protection, and providing emergency services in health care, water and sanitation and education for the most vulnerable.

Ireland intervened on South Sudan at the Human Rights Council in June 2016. Ireland's statement called on the Transitional Government to respect and protect fundamental human rights, and called for civil society actors, including human rights defenders, to be enabled to exercise their rights free from violence, arrest and intimidation. We also supported calls for the formation of a Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, and encouraged the Commission to pursue recommendations on how transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation could be delivered.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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356. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which women and girls continue to be targeted by the Boko Haram; the extent to which women and girls taken as hostages are being released; the efforts being made to assist their release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32096/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has consistently condemned the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of over 2 million. The activities of the group continue to pose a serious risk to the peace and security of Nigeria and the wider region, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

In a UN report released in June of this year, UN human rights experts found that Boko Haram have subjected women and children to extensive practices of abduction, rape, forced marriage, and forcing children in to direct and supporting combat roles. There is also a serious developing trend of forcing young girls to engage in suicide bombings.

While exact numbers of those abducted is difficult to confirm, the UN estimates that thousands of women and children have been abducted by Boko Haram since 2012. As of February 2016, 1,010 of these children had been rescued. Ireland, with our EU partners, continues to call for all parties to work together in securing the release of those that have been abducted.

In particular, Ireland has consistently called for the release of the Chibok Schoolgirls, who were abducted in April 2014. In that regard, I welcome the recent news of the release of 21 of the girls and join with my EU colleagues in congratulating Nigeria on the success of the negotiations. I also commend Switzerland and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for their important role in facilitating this process. The release has brought the total number of the Chibok Schoolgirls freed in 2016 to 22.

While it is the responsibility of the Nigerian Government to ensure that a secure environment is provided to its citizens, Ireland, in cooperation with our EU partners, has continued to support the Nigerian Government in its efforts. The EU has pledged to provide up to €50 million to the Multinational Joint Taskforce, which comprises 8,700 troops from neighbouring countries and the Nigerian Armed Forces, to promote regional security.

More recently, as the security situation has improved with gains by the Nigerian Armed Forces against Boko Haram, the true extent of the crisis has been revealed, with an estimated 7 million people now in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

Ireland continues to provide significant humanitarian funding in areas affected by the conflict. To date in 2016, Ireland has provided over €721,000 in stocks and €300,000 in humanitarian grants to NGOs for use in the region. Furthermore, in September 2016, my Department announced funding of €1 million each to both the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the International Committee of the Red Cross, for use in North East Nigeria. Additionally, Ireland has in the last year deployed five Rapid Response personnel to Maiduguri for three months to work in logistics, gender, coordination and engineering.