“We were welcomed by families whose focus is now day-to-day survival and whose aspirations have been reduced to bare essentials such as electricity and clean water.”

President of the Sudanese Catholic Bishops’ Conference is cautiously optimistic over peace agreement but appeals for prayers and support for “salvation of South Sudan”.

Over half a million suspected cholera cases and twenty million people in need of aid in beleaguered state.

In the Turkana region in the north of Kenya, around 30 per cent of people are severely malnourished, warns Trócaire.

“Humanitarian access to vulnerable people is absolutely vital, there must be safe, unrestricted passage of aid to all parts of Syria.”

“By investing in fossil fuel industries, Ireland is funding climate change,” Eamonn Meehan of Trócaire warns.

"This crisis will not end until a political solution is put in place. Through the EU, Ireland has a valuable role to play," says Trócaire Director.

Church leaders pray "That peace and justice will be restored in Yemen."

Fr Jacques Mourad released after five months as Pope says he is following with great concern what is happening in Syria, Iraq, Jerusalem and West Bank.

On Syria and Iraq Pontiff appeals, “We need to find a solution, which is never a violent one, because violence only creates new wounds”.

Parish communities asked to consider whether there are vacant properties - houses, granny-flats or spare-rooms which might accommodate refugees.

Since 15 March 2011, 210,000 people have been killed in the war in Syria, one million injured, and more than 4 million people have fled the country.

83% of lights in Syria extinguished since 2011 in "worst humanitarian crisis the world has seen in a generation" according to Trócaire.

Chair of Trócaire, Bishop William Crean, expresses “grave concern” for the 1.7 million Syrian refugees dependent on World Food Programme voucher scheme.

€5.3m will help provide emergency food, water and healthcare to some of the most vulnerable Syrians.