Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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767. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will increase the amount of famine relief funding being provided for Yemen by Ireland in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15072/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The roots of this grave humanitarian crisis – the most severe in the world - lie in conflict. Ireland strongly supports the work led by UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, which aims to enable the resumption of a peaceful, inclusive, orderly and Yemeni-led political transition process.  As a Member of the UN Security Council Ireland will press this case. which offers a meaningful way forward to peace.  The most recent discussion on Yemen at the Security Council took place on 16 March, and Ireland again drew attention to the very clear link between the conflict and the widespread food insecurity faced by millions of Yemenis.

Ireland is maintaining a very high level of engagement with key parties in the region, including discussions I have held in the past month with the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Mr. Martin Griffiths.  Additionally, last month Ireland’s Ambassador to Yemen, based in Riyadh, joined other European Ambassadors in visiting Aden to meet with members of the new Government there.

On 1 March, I participated in the High Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen convened by the United Nations. I highlighted Ireland’s political and financial support to ending the suffering of the people of Yemen, in particular given the critical situation there and our Membership of the UN Security Council. I pledged on behalf of Ireland a minimum of a further €5 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen this year. In 2020, Ireland also pledged €5 million and in December 2020 provided an additional €1 million.  This most recent pledge will bring Ireland’s humanitarian assistance to Yemen since 2012 to €34 million.

Ireland is a very strong and dependable donor, helping to meet the needs of the people of Yemen. However, the scale of need is enormous: that is why I have encouraged all donors who have assisted Yemen in the past to continue to do so or to re-commence their aid. I share the UN Secretary-General’s concerns about resources available for humanitarian assistance in Yemen following the Pledging Conference.