Ireland will continue 'outsized role' in aid for humanitarian crises like Sudan, Minister says
James Cox
Ireland will continue to play an "outsized role" in international aid and highlight the world's largest humanitarian crisis in Sudan after contributing €14 million in 2025, a Government Minister has said.
Since April 2023, there has been an active civil war in Sudan between two rival factions of the country's military government.
The conflict has led to famine, mass displacement, and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond said Ireland would continue to highlight the humanitarian disaster in Sudan.
"Gaza dominates the headlines. What's going on there is a genocide. What's happening in Ukraine is an assault on the European Union in terms of our security infrastructure... we're seeing that in our energy and grocery bills.
"In Sudan, there have been over 12 million people forcibly displaced, more than double the population of the Republic. There is also a famine, and over 150,000 people have been killed.
"This instability in Sudan has a very real impact on Europe, when we talk about irregular migration and what drives people to pay human traffickers, risk their lives, go on a dinghy across the Mediterranean; they're coming from Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan.
"It is a huge responsibility of ours, not just from a humanitarian or civil point of view, it is in our interest to bring peace and stability to this region."
While other countries cut back on humanitarian aid, Mr Richmond said it is even more important for small countries like Ireland to keep up their support as we play an "outsized role".
"When we see other agencies or countries losing interest, not enforcing arms embargoes, or not committing the sort of financial resources Ireland is, it is quite a worry.
"We have given over €14 million to Sudan this year, and we topped it up by €3 million in September. We have committed to giving more next year, it's in our Programme for Government.
"The message I am keen to get across is that there is a reason behind this, and we can't forget that the world's largest humanitarian disaster is happening in Sudan.
"It's very clear that Ireland is playing an outsized role in terms of development and humanitarian assistance at the moment. Per capita, we are one of the biggest donors.
"We are one of only two EU member states that have increased our development budget. Many others have reduced theirs; Denmark has stayed still, which in itself is admirable.
"Inherently, first and foremost, it is to our values, we are humanitarian people. We are a country with a proud tradition of humanitarian assistance.
"Our aid agencies were on the frontline of so many global conflicts. Today, you have GOAL, Concern and Trócaire involved in Sudan. We work through our agency partners, and we work through the UN in Sudan."
He pointed to the dangers for humanitarian workers, with deaths of over 300 reported in 2025.
Mr Richmond also recalled a recent meeting he had with Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
Mr Fletcher said the famine in Gaza could be ended in six to eight months, as aid, food, medicine and supply chains are all ready but being blocked by the Israeli government.
In contrast, Mr Richmond said the situation in Sudan is far more complex.
"There are two very large parties involved, along with lots of paramilitary groups who swap sides, along with outside interested malevolent actors. It would take much longer to fix the humanitarian disaster there and address the famine. That is partly because it is so dangerous to be a humanitarian worker there.
"The supply chains needed to get the aid where it needs to be are not reliable. That's why we constantly need to draw attention to it."
He added: "Rape is being used as a weapon of war in Sudan. There are combatants raping women and children, to be quite frank, it is extremely prevalent in Sudan.
"There are three major global issues in the world that Ireland has a stated interest in; Russia's brutal war in Ukraine, the ongoing difficulties in the Middle East, and Sudan.
"One gets less attention, I'm not giving out about that but it's my responsibility as a line minister for international development to talk about it."
Mr Richmond pointed to recent debates on Sudan in the Seanad and the Dáil foreign affairs committee, and said that this was a positive but something that needed to continue.
UN agencies
He said Ireland would continue to support the UN and UN aid agencies as many countries pull back from the organisation.
"Ireland still believes in UN agencies; we have increased our funding to them, we are practically engaged in the UN80 reform process because we believe in it and know the only solution to the humanitarian crisis will come through the UN.
"At a time when other member states are giving up on the role of the UN and multilateralism more generally, we are saying you can criticise the UN, but you also have to recognise it is the best chance to deliver peaceful resolutions in places like Sudan."
Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1st to December 31st, 2026.
Mr Richmond said this will be hugely significant in "probably the most important year since the end of the Cold War".
"This is our eighth time holding it, but it is now at a time when many countries are turning their back on multilateralism, along with a rising wave of hard-right populism casting it away.
"Ireland needs to say we believe in development and global cooperation. We don't believe in this outdated approach of retreating within ourselves."
Mr Richmond also hit back at TDs who claim international aid and development should not be a priority for the Government.
He referenced Independent Ireland's Ken O'Flynn, who recently claimed €125 million in funding for Ukraine should be spent to fund blister packs, and suggested Ireland paid too much to the EU.
'Disinformation campaign'
"That sort of simplistic, craven disinformation campaign is widespread in other countries. I'm more than happy to call out Deputy O'Flynn, but there are a number of opposition TDs trying to bend the truth.
"According to Peadar Tóibín [Aontú,] this week I voted for abortion up until birth, when that just was not the case.
"Ken O'Flynn listed exactly what each member state pays into the EU without reference to ancillary net benefits for things like access to the single market and the Customs Union.
"We can all be selective with the truth and take a snapshot, but it really does a disservice to the people who want to trust our elected representatives."
He added: "I spent a number of years working as a staff member in the European Parliament. Nigel Farage mastered never coming to the Parliament bar to do his 60-second viral speech once a month in Strasbourg.
"That sort of deliberate twisting of the truth to try to chase the online audience is creeping into Irish politics. It will be leapt on by nefarious actors who thrive on misinformation from third parties.
"The fact we have TDs relishing that at the moment, I think that says a lot about them rather than the Irish electorate as a whole."
Returning to international development, Mr Richmond said it was even more important for countries to provide aid and stand up against isolationism as the United States increasingly withdraws funding following major cutbacks from the Trump administration.
"We cannot speak about Ukraine and Gaza without speaking about Sudan in the same breath.
"You have the foundations of strong economies and institutions that can be built up quickly in the other two; in relation to Sudan, it is far more difficult.
"€14 million from Ireland will do a huge amount in Sudan, probably more than it could do in Ukraine."
