Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to ensure adequate inputs from the Houses of the Oireachtas and civil society organisations in Ireland in relation to the proposed EU strategy for Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37957/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU is committed to agreeing a renewed, comprehensive partnership with Africa at the EU-African Union Summit in 2021.

A more effective EU-Africa partnership is an objective of the Government’s Africa Strategy and Ireland has actively engaged in the work undertaken to prepare a new EU-Africa partnership.

Minister Coveney called for an ambitious EU approach to the partnership at the Foreign Affairs Council in December 2019, a theme which he articulated in bilateral discussions with both EU and African partners. He was active in discussions on the EU-Africa partnership at Foreign Affairs Councils in February and September this year.

At a discussion of EU Development Ministers in September, I addressed the Team Europe response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the EU’s support for the furthest behind in Africa. Building on this work, the European Council identified priority areas for cooperation with Africa in October.

The Government welcomes engagement of the Oireachtas on this critical EU partnership. Minister Coveney met with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on 12 November to discuss issues on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council, including Africa. On 20 October, the Dáil had an opportunity to debate the European Council discussion of EU-Africa relations.

The perspectives of civil society partners is very important. The European Commission engaged with civil society, including CONCORD Europe, representing 2,600 NGOs, including Dóchas -the Irish association of development NGOs - when setting out a new partnership with Africa earlier this year.

The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains ongoing engagement with civil society partners. Recent instances include civil society partners' participation in the Government’s National Task Team on Rural Africa, which advanced Ireland’s potential contribution to a significant strand of the EU-Africa partnership. Minister Coveney discussed the EU-Africa partnership with civil society last month at a conference of the Irish Forum for International Agricultural Development. These are in addition to regular policy discussions at official level through Dóchas.