Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 131 and 132 together.

At the beginning of 2023, the UN estimated that the number of people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection was 339 million. The earthquake in Türkiye/Syria, the crisis in Sudan, and the recent disasters in Libya, Morocco and Maui have all contributed to rising numbers of people in need. The latest update put that figure at 363 million people.

The humanitarian community has provided over €20 billion in humanitarian funding to 43 crises in 2023 to date. This covers nearly 39% of the total funding required (€51.9 billion). The top three donors are the U.S., Germany and the European Union (EU). Ireland ranks consistently as a top twenty humanitarian donor, in 2022 providing €297 million in humanitarian assistance.

In response to a request for international assistance from the Libyan authorities the UN deployed a Disaster Assessment and Coordination team. The EU activated its Civil Protection Mechanism and deployed two environmental experts. The UN launched a Flash Appeal to seek €67 million and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund allocated €9.4 million to the response. The EU also released €5.7 million to humanitarian partners on the ground.

In response to the deadly earthquake in Morocco, the UN deployed a small team to enhance its existing capacity and communicated its willingness to support the national authorities in the assessment, coordination, and relief efforts. The response was led by the Moroccan government, local organisations and volunteers. UN agencies already on the ground, including UNICEF, provided support. The EU released initial funding of €1million and the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was activated to provide emergency mapping services.

In Maui, Hawaii, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Red Cross and local organisations and volunteers supported the response to the devastating wildfires.

Ireland responded immediately to the disasters in Morocco and Libya. The Tánaiste announced €2 million for the response in Morocco and €1m for Libya. This was provided to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) who work directly with the national Red Cross Societies on the ground.

Ireland also supported the responses in Libya and Morocco through its pre-positioned funding that enables its partners to respond as soon as a crisis hits. This included the World Health Organisation Emergency Contingency Fund, the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund and the UN CERF.

Ireland’s humanitarian partner, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is mandated to lead and coordinate humanitarian assistance in crises across the globe. In the early days of a disaster, OCHA has the capacity to undertake rapid needs assessments. It coordinates responders on the ground to ensure the most effective and efficient response. OCHA is on the ground in Libya coordinating the emergency response.

The Department of Foreign Affairs also engages closely with the humanitarian directorate of the Commission in Brussels, which coordinates EU humanitarian aid operations, disaster risk management and civil protection response.