13. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the main challenges the Government faces with currently facing EU-Africa relations, including geopolitical competition and financing constraints; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31952/26]

16. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the consultations that have been undertaken to inform Ireland's approach to EU-Africa relations during its Presidency; the key themes emerged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31955/26]

19. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland intends to initiate or host any EU-Africa ministerial meetings or political dialogues during its Presidency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31958/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 16 and 19 together.

Relations with Africa are a key geopolitical priority for Ireland and the EU.  The security and development of the two continents are strongly interlinked, as neighbours.  The EU is Africa’s leading partner on peace and security, investment, and sustainable development . The EU is the top trading partner of African countries collectively. African countries together constitute the EU’s fourth largest trading partner.

Ireland’s international development programme is integral to our foreign policy and is strongly focused on sub-Saharan Africa.  Its aim is to contribute to reducing poverty, alleviating suffering, and improving the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities. 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 grow and deepen. People to people links with Africa date back centuries and reflect the work of missionaries, educators, health and development workers, humanitarian responders and Irish peacekeepers who have made a lasting contribution to development, peace and security. These human ties are further enriched by the presence of African communities in Ireland.

Reflecting the priority the Government attaches to Africa, the Taoiseach led Ireland’s political engagement with the continent at both the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa and the AU-EU Summit in Angola in November 2025.  Ireland participated in the G20 as a guest country of the Presidency, South Africa.  It brought together the world’s largest economies to discuss significant challenges we collectively face including sustainable economic growth and development. I represented Ireland at the G20 Development Ministerial in July 2025 which focused on global challenges in development cooperation. The EU-AU Summit emphasised the importance of the multilateral system and the centrality of partnership in addressing pressing challenges including climate change, the digital transformation, migration, security and ending conflicts in a just and lasting way.

Preparations are advancing for Ireland's EU Presidency.  A consultation process has been undertaken with domestic stakeholders to guide the development of policy priorities, and we have been consulting widely with other EU Member States and with partners in Africa.  As part of this process, Ministers have met a wide range of stakeholders in Ireland from across business, civil society, trade unions and other interest groups. A call for public submissions on the development of Presidency priorities issued in late 2025, providing stakeholders and interested parties the opportunity to have their say on the preparation of Ireland’s EU Presidency programme. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to engage stakeholders to provide updates on Presidency preparations and to gather insights t0 nform the ongoing development of the Presidency priorities and policy programme. We will finalise and publish our priorities and policy programme in June, weeks before the commencement of our Presidency.

During the Presidency, we will encourage the EU to drive reform and change that advances the economic development and the welfare of developing countries in Africa and elsewhere.  I will chair an important informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council Development in Dublin in early October and will seek to focus on our commitment to sustainable development and the fight to end extreme poverty, notably in sub-Saharan Africa.  We will also work for a strong focus on peace and security in Africa, and on developments in conflicts such as that in Sudan, which has caused the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

Ireland’s steadfast support for international development comes at a time of substantial international challenge and cuts in development assistance by some major States.  In addition to increasing the budgets for the Irish Aid programme, we a engaged in a series of international initiatives on the future of effective development cooperation, and are working to maintain attention on the enduring problem of poverty in the Least Developed Countries.