Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a report on his trip to Ethiopia and Kenya; the stakeholders and government officials he met; and his views on whether his trip will lead to an increased political and humanitarian engagement between his Department and the Horn of Africa region. [48396/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I visited Ethiopia and Kenya from the 6th to the 8th of November.

In Ethiopia, I met with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu and discussed the current political and humanitarian situation in the country and the wider region, reaffirmed Ireland’s continued partnership with Ethiopia, and explored opportunities for trade and investment.

In Kenya, I met with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amina Mohamed. In these meetings, I raised regional peace and security concerns, and discussed the current political situation and Ireland’s strong economic and development ties in Kenya. I oversaw the conclusion of business agreements between Kenyan and Irish companies and discussed the potential for further trade and agri-business links between our two countries.

I had planned to visit Somalia and was unable to do so because of a deteriorating security situation. I telephoned the Foreign Minister of Somalia, Yusuf Garaad, to express sympathy and solidarity with the people of Somalia in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks, and was briefed on the fragile security situation and the important role of the EU in continued support for AMISOM.

I also met key representatives from the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to discuss regional peace and security issues and the urgent need to find a political solution to the South Sudan conflict.

The scale of humanitarian needs across the Horn of Africa is now unprecedented, driven by conflict, severe drought, massive population displacements and acute hunger. During my visit, I announced additional humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa totaling €11 million, bringing Ireland’s humanitarian assistance to the region to over €138 million since 2012.

Ireland, together with our EU and UN partners, will continue to work to address the drivers of instability and conflict in the region. We will maintain strong bilateral political and economic ties, and provide sustained humanitarian and development support to vulnerable communities.