John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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27. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures that Ireland is taking on the United Nations Security Council and within the European Union to ensure that steps are taken to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe occurring in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3887/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the role the United Nations is taking to protect citizens and their rights in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3907/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 58 together.

Ireland remains active in discussions on Afghanistan both at EU level and at the UN Security Council, where it has featured regularly on the agenda since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

Promoting human rights and the protection of civilians are key priorities for Ireland on the Security Council. We have consistently advocated for Afghan women and girls, who must be treated as equal citizens, with rights to full and equal access to education, to healthcare, to freedom of movement and participation in public life. We have emphasised the need to maintain humanitarian access to address what is now the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Ireland strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution 2615, adopted on 22 December 2021, which exempts humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan from UN sanctions against members of the Taliban.

Ireland’s approach is consistent with the EU Council Conclusions on Afghanistan of September 2021, to which we contributed and which highlight the effect of the Taliban actions on civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, and on the gains made over the last two decades, which had been supported by the EU. Among the guiding principles agreed by the EU are that the Taliban must respect the independence of humanitarian operations and guarantee safe and unhindered access for all humanitarian staff, including all female staff, and that they must promote, protect and respect all human rights, in particular the full enjoyment of rights of women and girls.

I remain gravely concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. The continued absence of many non-governmental organisations, civil society networks, and diplomatic missions from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover has made the role of the UN in monitoring and reporting on developments inside Afghanistan, especially on human rights, more important than ever before. Representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have met regularly with high-ranking members of the Taliban administration to highlight Afghanistan’s human rights obligations under international law. The mandate for UNAMA is due to be renewed by the UN Security Council by 17 March. Ireland will advocate strongly for the maintenance of human rights tasks in that mandate, to operate in tandem with the implementation of last October’sEU-led resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on the “Situation of human rights in Afghanistan”, which establishes a mandate for a Special Rapporteur, to be appointed at the March 2022 session.

The UN launched a funding appeal on 11 January, seeking approximately $5 billion to meet the emergency humanitarian needs within Afghanistan and of Afghan refugees in the region. This is the largest such humanitarian appeal ever issued by the UN. Since the Taliban seizure of power, the EU and its Member States have allocated more than €1 billion in funding to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan, for both humanitarian aid and for supporting basic needs (‘humanitarian plus’). The EU also established a humanitarian air bridge that in 2021 delivered 280 tonnes of lifesaving medication, food and equipment to address COVID-19 to Afghanistan.

In addition, the Government through its Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid, has provided over €4 million in humanitarian support for the people of Afghanistan since mid-August. This funding has been allocated to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and UNICEF. These emergency response programmes are addressing the urgent needs of the population, including providing food aid, treatment for severe acute malnutrition in children, and other essential services. Ireland’s humanitarian funding to Afghanistan increased fivefold in 2021 to over €5 million – with the remainder provided at the beginning of the year to Concern Worldwide, HALO Trust and the AHF.

In addition, Ireland contributes to support global funds and provide core funding to key agencies that allocate funding to Afghanistan, including the EU, WHO, UNHCR, IFRC, ICRC and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Ireland was the 9th largest donor to the CERF in 2021, providing €11 million. Since August, the CERF has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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28. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the European Union and United Nations position on the massing of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine; if the international community is sufficiently committed to protecting the interests of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3877/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has strongly and consistently supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as I have conveyed personally to Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on a number of occasions over the past year. Ireland is concerned by the build-up of Russian troops on its border with Ukraine and I continue to call on Russia to de-escalate tensions. In my own remarks, I have consistently underlined the need for strong and unified messaging from the EU.

I and my EU colleagues discussed the situation in Ukraine most recently at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday of this week (24 January). EU Foreign Ministers have been consistently engaged on this issue and have delivered clear messages of solidarity with Ukraine both at the Foreign Affairs Council of 13 December and again at our informal Foreign Minister's meeting in Brest, hosted by the French Presidency on 13 and 14 January.

In remarks after the December Foreign Affairs Council, High Representative Borrell made clear that aggression against Ukraine, will come with political consequences and with a high economic cost for Russia. This message was further reinforced in the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions of 24 January, which state that preparatory work has accelerated on restrictive measures in case of further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine. Council Conclusions also condemn Russia’s continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine, and call on Russia to de-escalate.

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres on 21 January called on the international community to avoid a confrontation and to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution of the problem. Ireland has consistently reaffirmed its support for Ukraine at UN Security Council meetings on Ukraine, including at Arria formula meetings. Ireland co-sponsored the Arria formula meeting on Crimea organised by Estonia and Ukraine in March 2021, which also focused on the worrying human rights situation on the peninsula. On 9 December, Ireland co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution on the demilitarisation of Crimea, and joined the EU statement on 9 December, as we have done in previous years.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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29. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed the ongoing war in Yemen and the humanitarian crisis with his counterparts across Europe; if consideration has been given to the imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3926/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, driven by seven years of conflict, economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions and services which has left over 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

Ireland and the European Union fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, to bring about a political resolution to the conflict in Yemen. EU Member States are in agreement that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and all parties should agree to an immediate ceasefire.

In addition to significant diplomatic efforts, the EU has provided nearly €1 billion to Yemen since 2015 in development, crisis response and humanitarian assistance. At a national level, Ireland has contributed over €32 million in humanitarian funding to Yemen since 2015.

As a member of the Security Council, Ireland has engaged extensively in support of the UN's efforts to end the conflict in Yemen. I have held discussions with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen as well as Major General Michael Beary, who was recently appointed as Head of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement.

I have also engaged extensively with the countries of the region, including the Foreign Ministers of Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, stressing the need to work urgently towards a resolution of the conflict.

Sanctions are an important foreign policy tool for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. In order to be effective and impactful, sanctions generally need to be agreed by a large number of countries. For Ireland, this typically means aligning with sanctions regimes agreed at the EU or UN level. There is not currently a consensus among either the EU, or the UN Security Council, on the introduction of sanctions against Saudi Arabia.

Ireland will continue to support all efforts to end the terrible conflict in Yemen, including in the context of our position on the UN Security Council and as an EU Member State.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will update Dáil Éireann on the actions of the United Nations Security Council in respect of the military coup in Myanmar. [3860/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland strongly condemns the coup carried out by the Myanmar military and its attempts to legitimise the military regime. The coup is a reversal of the progress made towards democracy and rule of law in Myanmar which took years to establish. Ireland is actively engaged on this issue in our role as an elected member of the Security Council, including by calling on the military and all parties for an urgent end to violence, full respect for human rights and compliance with international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.

The situation in Myanmar has been considered seven times by the Security Council since the coup, most recently on 8 November 2021. The Council has expressed deep concern regarding developments in Myanmar, condemned the use of violence by the military, and called for the release of all those detained. The Council is actively monitoring the situation, and, most recently, a press statement was issued following the atrocities in Kayah State on 24 December.

The united voice of the Security Council on the situation in Myanmar is welcome, sending a clear message to the Myanmar military. Ireland coordinates with likeminded Council members towards further action, and was also a member of the core group of nations who proposed the June 2021 United Nations General Assembly resolution which called for an end to arms flows to Myanmar.

Military rule in Myanmar risks further human rights abuses and Ireland has voiced its concern at four sessions of the Human Rights Council since February 2021. Ireland has consistently voiced support for international efforts towards ensuring accountability and justice in Myanmar, including the ongoing processes at the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Ireland will continue to work actively with our partners in the European Union, and through our position on the Security Council to promote the rule of law and protect the human rights of the people of Myanmar.