Written answers
Thursday, 15 June 2023
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Foreign Conflicts
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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150. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he and his EU/UN colleagues continue to monitor the situation in various trouble spots globally including Yemen, Syria and on the African continent with particular reference to non-compliance with international human rights standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29029/23]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Conflict and human rights abuses regrettably continue to be prevalent throughout the world and are a significant driver of humanitarian crises. The number and complexity of these crises globally has increased in recent years, as evidenced by the UN estimating that in 2023, a record 339 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection – a significant increase from 274 million people at the beginning of 2022.
Respect for human rights and their promotion is a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy. Ireland actively adheres to core international and European human rights treaties and strongly and actively supports the strengthening of regional and multilateral human rights frameworks.
The EU, through implementation of its Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), works globally to support the preservation of peace, the strengthening of international security, the promotion of international cooperation and development and consolidation of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Ireland is an active participant in and contributor to CFSP implementation and in supporting EU and UN efforts to address the root causes of conflict and human rights violations.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which the UN continues to challenge the activities of the Boko Haram and Al Shabaab; whether cases are being referred the International Court of Justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29030/23]
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.
The UN engages in a number of activities challenging Al-Shabaab both directly and indirectly. This includes support through the UN Security Council-mandated African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which supports the Federal Government of Somalia in its fight against Al-Shabaab; the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), which provides logistics support to ATMIS; and the UN Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee, which undermines Al-Shabaab’s financial and other operations. Indirectly, the UN works to address the underlying causes of support for Al-Shabaab through the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which provides advice to the Government of Somalia particularly in areas of peace- and state-building; as well as through bodies such as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
During our term on the UN Security Council Ireland engaged regularly on the security situation in Somalia. Ireland played an important role in the drafting and introduction of the ATMIS mandate and remains engaged through the EU, which is its primary source of funding. Ireland has been a long-standing contributor to the humanitarian response in Somalia, providing over €18 million in direct funding in 2022 – including €8 million to the UNOCHA Somalia Humanitarian Fund and €1.38 million to UNFPA.
Ireland is playing its part in helping tackle the impact and causes of armed conflict and forced displacement in the Sahel and West Africa. Since 2015, we have provided over €36 million in bilateral assistance for the Lake Chad region, including North-East Nigeria. Since 2017, Ireland has provided €1 million annually to the UNOCHA Nigerian Humanitarian Fund, to address critical humanitarian needs.
Ireland also contributes directly to peace and security efforts. While on the Security Council we were co-penholder with Niger and subsequently Ghana on the file for the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), through which the UN is working to stabilise the Lake Chad region. 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. The Regional Stabilisation Facility is a rapid response mechanism to aid local authorities in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency by enhancing basic service delivery, improving livelihoods and addressing governance challenges in affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin region. In addition, Ireland is supporting stabilisation efforts in the Sahel through the deployment of 8 Defence Forces personnel to 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).
The International Court of Justice primarily deals with inter-state disputes. The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over atrocity crimes committed on the territory of States Parties to the Rome Statute or by their nationals or in situations referred to the Court by the UN Security Council. In December 2020 the ICC Prosecutor announced the conclusion of the preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria (a State Party to the Rome Statute) confirming that there is a reasonable basis to believe that both members of Boko Haram (and its splinter groups) as well as members of the Nigerian Security Forces committed crimes against humanity and war crimes. The next step in the judicial process is for the Prosecutor to request authorisation from the Pre-Trial Chamber to open an investigation into the situation in Nigeria.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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152. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he and his EU colleagues continue to positively influence the political situation in the Western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29031/23]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Western Balkans lies at the heart of Europe. Its future is unquestionably within the European Union. Given that, Ireland has a clear strategic interest in fostering good relations between the communities in the Western Balkans, and between the EU and the region.
We do this in numerous ways. First, by facilitating intra-regional dialogue, such as the EU-chaired Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. Across all our engagements with the Governments of Kosovo and Serbia, Ireland emphasises the need for concrete progress on the Dialogue, as a key step towards EU membership. Following recent clashes in northern Kosovo, we have called for de-escalation of tensions and a return to the Dialogue.
The EU accession process requires all Western Balkans states to demonstrate their ability to cooperate with their neighbours. For example, the Western Balkans Common Regional Market was established as a catalyst for deeper regional economic integration and as a stepping stone towards EU Single Market membership. President von der Leyen's recent outline of a Growth Package for the Western Balkans, which is under active consideration, re-emphasises the importance of regional integration.
Ireland also participates in the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which is the EU’s primary support tool to assist states in the implementation of reforms. Regional cooperation, good neighbourly relations and reconciliation efforts to overcome open bilateral issues and the legacy of the past are priority objectives for the instrument, which for the period 2021-2027 has a budgetary envelope of over €14 billion.
In recent months, we have had a significant degree of political engagement with counterparts from the region; I met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic when she visited Dublin in April, and with the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, during his visit in May. The Taoiseach met with the newly elected President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic earlier this month, while the Minister of State for European Affairs, Peter Burke TD, is travelling to Serbia and North Macedonia this week to meet with regional interlocutors and attend the Prespa Forum Dialogue. This intensified level of engagement shows the priority that we are placing on the region.
Ireland will continue to support a swift EU accession process for the countries of the Western Balkans, provided that they meet all the necessary criteria. We will continue to offer our full support to candidate and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans as they advance on the path to EU membership. I remain strongly of the belief that it is through EU membership that peace and prosperity can best be ensured in the Western Balkans.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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153. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community continues to intervene to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers at various global locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29032/23]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The recruitment of child soldiers, a grave human rights violation, remains a serious problem with tens of thousands of children recruited into conflicts around the world. Ireland is committed to the protection of children in armed conflict and in humanitarian settings, a shared priority of both the EU and UN.
At the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council in March 2023, Ireland highlighted the continued vulnerability of children to violence, which has been exacerbated worldwide by multiple and intersecting crises. During Ireland’s term on the UN Security Council, we consistently engaged on Children And Armed Conflict (CAAC), including as an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on CAAC. We also co-sponsored biennial resolutions on the Rights of the Child at the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in 2022 and at the 76th UN General Assembly Third Committee in 2021.
Ireland is an active member of the Group of Friends of CAAC as well as the Group of Friends of the Reintegration of Child Soldiers. Through our development cooperation programmes, Ireland seeks to address the root causes of conflict and the socio-economic conditions that contribute to this situation – for example, through provision of core funding to UNICEF, as well as providing access to education, skills and livelihood opportunities. Ireland is a supporter of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies. Through this partnership, we support efforts to ensure continuity of education for children in crisis or who have been displaced, protecting those who are most vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups.
Ireland is also a signatory to the Safe Schools Declaration which outlines a set of commitments designed to strengthen the protection of education from attack, restrict the use of schools and universities for military purposes and ensure the continuity of education in armed conflict zones.
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