Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

254. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the situation in South Sudan; the efforts being made to bring an end to the civil war and to address the emerging famine in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31030/17]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I share the grave concern at the protracted political and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. Since the outbreak of violence in South Sudan in 2013, the population of the country have suffered death and injury, the destruction of livelihoods and widespread human rights abuses, in particular serious gender based violence against women and children. Ireland has repeatedly condemned the violence and continues to support the efforts of international and regional partners to find an inclusive political solution to the conflict.

At the EU level, Ireland supported Council Conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council in December 2016 which called on all parties to end violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. At the UN level, Ireland condemned the continuing violence at Human Rights Council in March 2017, and called for an immediate end to the conflict.

We also continue to support the efforts of international and regional actors such as the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), the African Union, and the United Nations, including the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to bring an immediate end to the conflict. The recent IGAD Summit held on 12 June was a welcome engagement of regional neighbours in renewing efforts to seek peace in South Sudan.

Ireland is providing substantial humanitarian assistance to the South Sudan crisis, for work in the country and to assist South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries. Since 2012, we have provided some €48 million for victims of the crisis. To date in 2017, we have provided €9.2 million to our UN and NGO partners working on the ground to address the humanitarian needs, and in particular to address issues relating to food insecurity. We will continue to monitor this ongoing crisis closely and to provide additional life-saving humanitarian assistance to those most in need.