Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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21. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent visit to East Africa, where over 20 million people are facing rising malnutrition as a result of droughts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48910/22]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Last month I visited the Horn of Africa and witnessed the severity of the humanitarian crisis devastating the region. The causes reflect interlocking global crises, of climate change, conflict, environmental degradation, unsustainable food systems, and, more recently, Covid 19, as well as rising food and fuel prices. I visited Nairobi and Turkana in Kenya, and Juba and Bentiu in South Sudan. I saw first-hand the devastation of lives and livelihoods in some of the most vulnerable communities in the region. I had discussions in both countries with Ministers and officials on the response to the crisis and the need for more effective international engagement.

In Turkana in northern Kenya, the communities I visited are at the epicentre of the most severe drought in the Horn in more than forty years. In Bentiu in South Sudan, I met displaced families grappling with the aftermath of conflict and the effects of massive climate-induced flooding.

Across the Horn of Africa, more than 21 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Regions in Somalia are on the brink of famine, with 200,000 people currently in danger of starvation.

I announced an additional humanitarian funding package of €3.2 million during my visit. This is on top of over €75 million in direct humanitarian support from Ireland to the region since the start of 2021.

Last week, in Budget 2023, the Government announced an additional €30 million for humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa before the end of this year.

Ireland will continue to work with our European Union partners and the international community for further urgent action. We are also engaging on the political and security dimensions of the crisis. At the UN Security Council, and within the EU, Ireland has helped frame international engagement on the complex challenges affecting countries across the region. Clearly, building peace will be an essential component of sustainable development for the Horn of Africa.