Written answers

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

UN Security Council

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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843. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland will use its influence in the United Nations including the seat on the Security Council to promote peace and human rights across the rest of the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18411/21]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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853. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the plan which has been developed for Ireland’s period on the UN Security Council; his main priorities; and if specific initiatives are planned to highlight human rights abuses. [19117/21]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 843 and 853 together.

Ireland took up its seat on the UN Security Council on 1 January 2021. Since then, we have been engaging actively across the full Security Council agenda, which includes some 30 country and regional files and 20 thematic files.

The Government has set out three overarching principles for Ireland’s membership of the Security Council: Building Peace, Strengthening Conflict Prevention, and Ensuring Accountability. In line with these principles, Ireland has identified specific priorities, including: improving peacekeeping mandates, highlighting the drivers of conflict such as climate change and grave violations of human rights, advancing inclusive approaches to peacebuilding involving women, youth and civil society, and promoting respect for international law and accountability.

Ireland has also taken on specific responsibilities in relation to the Security Council’s support to the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal), the humanitarian situation in Syria, Somalia sanctions, UN work in West Africa and the Sahel, and the issues of Climate and Security, Women, Peace and Security, and Hunger and Conflict. Each of these roles reflect aspects of Ireland’s existing foreign policy priorities and strengths. We are working to play a constructive role, to find solutions and overcome divisions, and help the Council fulfil its vital role of preventing and resolving conflict.

Respect for human rights law, International Humanitarian Law, and the rule of law more broadly is central to building sustainable peace, and accountability for violations is a crucial component for creating stability and peace in post-conflict situations.

Ireland is actively promoting human rights in our engagement across the Security Council agenda.

This includes the range of country situations addressed by the Security Council, many of which involve serious human rights issues. In recent months, for example, there has been a particular focus on the situations in Ethiopia and Myanmar.

We are keenly aware of the essential role played by UN Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions in protecting civilians and promoting respect for human rights, and, in our role on the Council, Ireland is supporting their crucial work in this area.

More broadly across the UN system, Ireland is a strong contributor to global efforts to prevent and resolve conflict, prevent atrocities, and eliminate human rights violations including against women, children and vulnerable groups. We are strong supporters of work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michele Bachelet, and the office that she leads (OHCHR).

Ireland is actively engaged at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and at the recently concluded 46th session of the Council, we delivered over 20 statements on thematic and country-specific human rights situations, including Myanmar, Syria, Iran, Yemen, South Sudan, DPRK, Eritrea, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Ireland also co-signed a number of Joint Statements on Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia and Venezuela.

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