Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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459. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the assistance provided to the central Sahel region of Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13465/21]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Sahel countries count among the world’s most at risk of crises and disasters. An estimated 23.6 million people across the region are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, the highest number ever recorded, including more than 13 million requiring emergency food assistance.

Ireland is supporting stabilisation efforts on the ground in Mali and the Sahel through our peacekeeping contribution to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), where 14 Defence Forces personnel are deployed, the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) where 19 Defence Forces personnel are deployed, and our deployment of one Irish civilian expert to the Civilian CSDP Mission EU CAP Sahel Niger.

Ireland also engages on the Central Sahel at EU level, and through dedicated international fora to coordinate international efforts on the Sahel, including the Coalition for the Sahel and as an observer member of the Sahel Alliance, as well as through our seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Between 2014-2020, Ireland provided over €43 million in humanitarian and development assistance to Sahel States. This includes €2.5 million to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2020. At a Ministerial Roundtable on the Central Sahel in October 2020, I announced that Ireland would provide a further €500,000 for the International Committee of the Red Cross, for its humanitarian programme in the Sahel.

Ireland directs our international development efforts towards reaching the furthest behind first. Our scaled-up humanitarian assistance and political engagement is an expression of solidarity by the people of Ireland with the people of the Central Sahel.