Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for Africa to 2025
In 2020, Ireland marks sixty years of a diplomatic presence on the continent of Africa, which has now grown to 12 Embassies from Cairo to Pretoria. Our ever-deepening ties with Africa are set to expand under Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for Africa to 2025, launched in November 2019, which includes a commitment to open three new Embassies on the continent of Africa.
Our people-to-people connections go back centuries, including missionaries, educators, health and development workers, humanitarian responders and Irish peacekeepers, from the Congo in 1960 to Mali today, making a lasting contribution to peace and security. These human ties are further enriched by the presence of African communities in Ireland.
Ireland’s business links with Africa are increasing in both directions and, as Africa’s economic growth continues, these links – whether trade in goods and services, or investments – will deepen and mature.
Driven by our solidarity with the most vulnerable, Ireland has worked for decades on the ground, through the EU, civil society and international organisations to support the sustainable development of African countries. Building on our role as co-chair, with Kenya, of the negotiations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ireland is committed to working in partnership with African countries towards achievement of the SDGs.
The European Union has an increasingly ambitious approach to partnership with Africa. As neighbouring continents, the mutual prosperity and security of Europe and Africa are deeply intertwined. The EU is Africa’s largest trading partner, its largest source of investment and its biggest partner in development cooperation. Ireland strongly supports a much more ambitious EU approach to Africa.
Ireland works closely with African partners at the United Nations to advance shared values, to strengthen multilateralism, and to give a stronger voice to Africa in key international processes.
Ireland shares a conviction with the African Union that we work best to solve global problems when we work together, and supports the work of the African Union to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in Africa.
