Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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93. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community effort has been adequately co-ordinated in the aftermath of emergencies globally such as the Horn of Africa affected by starvation, famine and war; the extent to which the efforts there are hampered by competing demands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40075/17]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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2017 has been a year of unprecedented humanitarian crises, including the reoccurrence of the threat of famine in the Horn of Africa. The international community’s coordinated response can and is working. For example, following UN Secretary General Guterres’ February 2017 call to action to address the four famines threatening more than 20 million people across South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen, the international community provided more than $2.4 billion in humanitarian support. The relief efforts, coordinated by OCHA (UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs), have saved lives and alleviated imminent famine – however, the severe threat remains. The Irish Government is strongly committed to responding to the unprecedented humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa. Today more than 22 million people are facing varying levels of food insecurity across the region - over 10 million people in Ethiopia, 6 million people in South Sudan, 3.2 million people in Somalia, and 3.2 million people in Kenya. The continued provision of timely humanitarian assistance to avert a catastrophe in the region is essential. Ireland, through the Irish Aid programme, has provided €127 million in humanitarian assistance in the Horn region since 2012. We have provided €23 million so far this year, and we continue to monitor the situation through our embassies on the ground and our humanitarian partners.

A priority for Ireland in responding to humanitarian crises, is ensuring that life-saving assistance reaches those most in need, as quickly as possible. Ireland supports the role of OCHA in coordinating the response to humanitarian crises, and provides them with core funding (€2.9 million in 2017) to facilitate their operation. Ireland also supports the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which delivers funding quickly to humanitarian responders, including underfunded crises, aiming to ensure that competing demands do not mean crises are forgotten. In 2017, Ireland provided €22 million to CERF making us the fifth largest donor this year.

Ireland remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance where it is needed most, working with partners who can ensure that such assistance is delivered in a coordinated and effective manner. However, we also recognise that humanitarian aid alone is not the answer. We will continue to focus our efforts on supporting the international system to find peaceful ends to conflict driving humanitarian need.