Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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380. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community continue to monitor the activities and development of Al Shabaab and Boko Haram; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4758/23]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Ireland is playing its part in helping tackle the impact and the causes of the armed conflict and forced displacement.  Since 2015, we have provided over €36 million in bilateral assistance for the Lake Chad region, including North-East Nigeria. In Somalia, Ireland has provided €58 million in direct humanitarian assistance since 2015. This includes a further €9 million made available at the end of 2022 as part of a package of emergency assistance of €30 million in response to the humanitarian crisis across the Horn of Africa.

Ireland is also contributing directly to peace and security efforts.  Through 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. During Ireland's term on the Security Council we were co-penholder with Niger and subsequently Ghana on the UNOWAS file. 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 the EU training mission in Mali. Between 2019 and 2022 Defence Forces personnel were also deployed in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Ireland engaged regularly on the situation in Somalia at the Security Council, including as Chair of the Somalia Sanctions Committee. Last month, Ireland contributed to an amendment of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) mandate, which contributes to reducing the threat from 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.