Written answers

Thursday, 17 January 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Humanitarian Aid

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to ensure Ireland increases its diplomatic efforts through the EU to ensure the peace deal in South Sudan holds. [2172/19]

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to continue to support the humanitarian efforts in South Sudan that are addressing the root causes of the conflict. [2173/19]

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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56. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to continue to fund and support the conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts at community level by an organisation (details supplied) in partnership with INGOs. [2174/19]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 to 56, inclusive, together.

I am deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, primarily the consequence of a conflict which began in 2013, but compounded by many years of instability and strife. Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law serve to perpetuate the crisis, with a negative impact on its scale and with devastating consequences for the people of South Sudan. It is estimated that almost 400,000 people have died, and over 7 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

Drought has exacerbated the effects of conflict, leading to severe food insecurity. There has been massive population displacement throughout the country. Conflict, food insecurity and drought have affected women and girls particularly.

On 12 September 2018, the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, signed a peace agreement with a number of the opposition forces. While this peace agreement has the potential to mark a new departure, it is critical that South Sudan’s leaders maintain their commitment to its effective implementation. Achieving lasting peace will require sustained effort and commitment as well as a genuinely inclusive approach to building the future South Sudan.

Ireland strongly supports efforts to build peace in South Sudan. Since the Tánaiste’s visit to Addis Ababa in 2017, when he met representatives of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union, Ireland has provided funding to IGAD to support negotiation of the peace agreement. Ireland will continue to support IGAD’s work on monitoring the implementation of the agreement in 2019.

Our Embassy in Addis Ababa, which is accredited to South Sudan, monitors the situation and engages with local, regional and international parties on an ongoing basis. The Irish Ambassador in Addis Ababa visits Juba frequently where she meets with key government, UN, NGO, Red Cross and diplomatic partners, including the EU Delegation. Her most recent visit took place in November last year.

We are committed to supporting efforts towards peace in South Sudan and have contributed to projects aimed at peacebuilding. In 2018, this has included supporting partners’ meditation efforts and empowering civil society, in particular women’s groups, to facilitate their engagement in peace processes.

As well as our direct bilateral support, we are actively involved in the efforts of the EU to support peace in South Sudan. Two officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been seconded to the EU Delegation in South Sudan, including one as Head of Mission. The EU Delegation is strongly supportive of the peace process, in particular by providing support to the implementing and monitoring bodies of the peace agreement. The Tánaiste discussed these efforts with the EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Alexander Rondos, when he visited Dublin on 7 November 2018.

While a sustained resolution to the conflict is the ultimate goal, we have a duty now to deal with immediate humanitarian needs. Since 2012, Ireland has provided €61 million in direct humanitarian assistance to South Sudan. Over €10 million in Irish funding was provided in 2018, including to Irish NGOs to assist them in reaching the most vulnerable. Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Oxfam, Trócaire and World Vision, with support from Irish Aid, are working in partnership with local organisations and NGO networks to provide lifesaving supplies to meet the basic needs of those suffering from the conflict.

As well as this direct bilateral aid, Ireland has also contributed to humanitarian support in South Sudan through the multilateral system. Ireland is a significant contributor to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, which has allocated $178 million to alleviate the crisis in South Sudan since 2011, as well as to the EU, which provided more than €90 million in 2018.

With humanitarian needs likely to remain acute throughout 2019, Irish funding will continue to support both those in need inside South Sudan as well as South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.

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