Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

385. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions that are being taken to help the populace of Afghanistan as they continue to face the most horrendous conditions including starvation and extreme poverty with many resorting to selling body organs or children to secure food for their families; the actions that are being taken at European Union level to ensure immediate aid is delivered; the role that Ireland is playing in urging other nations to intervene; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6603/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am extremely concerned by the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which now has the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world. In response, Ireland through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, Irish Aid, has provided over € 5 million in 2021 - a fivefold increase - in humanitarian funding to Afghanistan. This funding has been allocated to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) UNICEF, Concern Worldwide and HALO Trust. 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.

A donor-pledging conference on Afghanistan is likely to take place in March and Ireland will actively participate. Ireland is also contributing to the EU response, which – along with Member States – allocated more than €1 billion in funding last year to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan to deliver humanitarian aid and to support basic needs. The EU has also established a humanitarian air bridge that delivered 280 tonnes of lifesaving medication, food and equipment against COVID-19 to Afghanistan.

In addition, Ireland contributes to global funds and core funding to key agencies that allocate funding to Afghanistan, including 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 2021, the CERF has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan. This year we will renew our multiyear partnership with CERF and increase our annual contribution from €10m to €11.5m, as Minister Brophy announced at the CERF pledging conference in December.

Ireland remains active in discussions on Afghanistan at EU level and especially at the UN Security Council (UNSC). At the UNSC meeting on Afghanistan on 26 January, Ireland continued to emphasise that the scale of the crisis in Afghanistan requires a sustained response from the international community. Ireland called on other nations to continue to stand with the Afghan people during the challenging months ahead. In December 2021, Ireland actively engaged in negotiations to ensure a clear and robust humanitarian carve out to the sanctions regime against the Taliban. This will help ensure that UN sanctions do not pose an obstacle to humanitarian actors in the delivery of their vital aid to the Afghan population. The resolution was adopted in December.