Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland strongly condemns the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab. We support international efforts to reduce their influence and assist populations affected by their actions. Last month, we condemned the latest attack by Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu which killed over 120 and injured over 400.

Through our international development programme, Ireland is also tackling the poverty, hunger, and exclusion which can act as drivers of support for Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab. Since 2015, we have allocated over €36 million in bilateral funding for the Lake Chad region, including North-East Nigeria. In Somalia, Ireland has provided over €57 million in direct humanitarian assistance since 2012. As an EU Member State, Ireland also contributes to the significant EU development and humanitarian response in countries affected by Boko Haram and al-Shabaab violence.

We are also working through the UN on these issues, notably the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the UN Peacebuilding Commission.  The UN is working to stabilise  the Lake Chad region and Ireland is penholder, together with Ghana, on UNOWAS at the UN Security Council. Ireland is also a member of the International Support Group of the Regional Stabilisation Strategy for the Lake Chad Basin, and has observer status at the Sahel Alliance. In addition, Ireland is supporting stabilisation efforts in the Sahel through the deployment of 14 Defence Forces personnel participating in EUTM Mali. Between 2019 and 2022 Defence Forces personnel were also deployed in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

With respect to Somalia, Ireland is Chair of the Sanctions Committee at the UN Security Council and last week contributed significantly to the agreement on the new mandate which focusses on reducing the threat of Al-Shabaab. In addition, Ireland deploys personnel to EUCAP Somalia, one of the three EU Common Security and Defence Policy Missions in the Horn of Africa.