Foreign Relations of The Republic of Ireland - Africa

Africa

Country Formal Relations Began Notes
Ethiopia See Ethiopia–Ireland relations
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1994.
  • Ireland has an embassy in Addis Ababa.
  • Ethiopia has an embassy in Dublin.

Ireland disbursed USD 58.94 million to Ethiopia in 2007, making it sixth in bilateral donors. Irish foreign aid to Ethiopia includes grants towards focuses on Vulnerability, Health, Education, HIV and AIDS and Governance, either directly, through NGOs, and missionary societies. These grants amounted to € 32 million in 2007, and over € 37 million in 2006. In January, 2003, the Irish Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance, Tom Kitt, visited Ethiopia to see how his country could assist in famine relief. He planned to visit the Tigray Region, which was reported as being the most affected by famine at the time.
South Africa 1993
  • The opening of bilateral relations were strongly considered by both governments in the 1930s and 1940s, following a successful state visit by South African prime minister General J. B. M. Hertzog to Dublin in 1930. At this time connections between the two "restless dominions" were particularly cordial, based also on an earlier Irish nationalist identification with the Boer cause during the South African War of 1899-1902, but cost concerns prevented an exchange of high commissioners. Nevertheless, there were regular private visits by South Africa's London-based high commissioners, most notably Charles te Water in the 1930s, and Dr A. L. Geyer, who was a guest of Taoiseach Éamon de Valera in 1952. While purely financial considerations had prevented the mutual exchange of ambassadors, by the 1960s a principled stand against apartheid came to prevent such an upgrading of relations. As a result, Ireland was the only EU country that did not have full diplomatic relations with South Africa until 1993, when an exchange of ambassadors was agreed with the De Klerk administration in anticipation of the ending of apartheid, despite vociferous protests from the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, led by Kader and Louise Asmal, which regarded such relations as premature. Prior to this, relations were handled by a Johannesburg-based honorary consulate.
  • Ireland opened an embassy in Pretoria in 1994. Ireland also has a Consulate-General in Cape Town.
  • The South African Embassy in Dublin was opened in 1995.
  • South African Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Ireland
Zambia 1965 See Ireland–Zambia relations
  • Ireland has an embassy in Lusaka.
  • Zambia is represented in Ireland through its high commission in London (United Kingdom).

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