Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his engagements with the government of Rwanda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5214/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Ireland maintains diplomatic relations with Rwanda through our Ambassador in Uganda, who is also accredited to Rwanda, and in contacts with the Rwandan Ambassador in London, who is also accredited to Ireland. Our Ambassador in Kampala, and officials from the Embassy, travel regularly to Rwanda for a range of activities, including meetings with government officials, Irish community events, and participation in meetings with EU colleagues.

Ireland’s Ambassador in Uganda also engages on a regular basis with his Rwandan counterpart, and most recently raised Ireland’s deep concern at developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Rwanda’s role in supporting the M23 rebels. Ireland contributed to the EU statement on 25 January that urged the M23 to stop its advance in eastern DRC and withdraw immediately. Together with our EU partners, we are exploring further possible responses to the serious situation in eastern DRC.

The most recent ministerial visit to Rwanda was by the then Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora in October 2021, to participate in the second African Union-EU Ministerial Meeting, and to meet with Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Under our Ireland Fellows Programme, 20 students from Rwanda have received support to complete postgraduate studies in Ireland since 2019. While Ireland does not have a bilateral development programme in Rwanda, we have a three year agreement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development which includes funding for the dairy value chain in Rwanda, with the aim of enhancing women’s opportunities through improved access to financial services. The agreement also draws on the experience of the Irish League of Credit Unions in this area.