by Miceál O’Hurley Diplomatic Editor Brussels – In November 2020 the Ethiopian government launched an offensive in the northern Tigray region of the country to quell a rebellion by local leaders who vowed to cease recognising Addis Ababa and form an autonomous government. The fighting has been fierce, displacing millions of people and creating…
New York — Miceál O’Hurley, Diplomatic Editor for Diplomat Ireland, has been nominated for the prestigious Hal Boyle Award for ‘best newspaper, news service or digital reporting from abroad’ in the 2020 Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) annual awards. Miceál is a Journalist Member of the OPC. Harold Vincent “Hal” Boyle (July 24, 1911 –…
The Department of Foreign Affairs is launching its fourth global St Brigid’s Day events programme, which celebrates the creativity and talent of Irish women. The 1st of February, St. Brigid’s Day, traditionally marks the beginning of spring in Ireland, and has long symbolised hope, renewal and the feminine. Since 2018, Irish Embassies have been marking St. Brigid’s…
To celebrate St. Brigid’s Day 2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs and MoLI – Museum of Literature Ireland, have collaborated on ‘Three Poems for Brigid’, a series of three short online films. Each film showcases a poet and a spoken word performer, and is based around one of the three aspects of Brigid as the…
Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy TD, today restated Ireland’s commitment to meeting the needs of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, announcing a €1 million contribution to the LIFE-AR Initiative which works on climate action at community level in developing countries. Speaking at an online international…
by Miceál O’Hurley Diplomatic Editor UN — Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, presented the SG’s Report in front of the UN Security Council meeting on 21st January. Ruiz Massieu spoke of the need to “accelerate the momentum” of the…
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D. will attend a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brussels on Monday (25 January). Ministers are expected to discuss a range of issues, including priorities for EU-US engagement following the inauguration of President Joe Biden, climate and energy diplomacy, equitable global access to…
Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne T.D., spoke today at an informal meeting of UN Security Council members on the issue of media freedom in Belarus. The Minister underlined Ireland’s concern at the ongoing and grave violations of media freedoms in Belarus since the fraudulent Presidential elections in August 2020, stating: “Ireland again…
Ireland’s Priorities for the UN Security Council, 2021-2022 (As Prepared) Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the Institute of International and European Affairs for inviting me to speak to you today. It is always a pleasure to participate in IIEA events, even virtually. Let me start by noting that today marks the entry…
The Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Thomas Byrne T.D., today welcomed the announcement that 14 civil society organisations from Ireland have been successful in the latest funding round of the Europe for Citizens programme. €252,000 has been awarded to three Irish organisations as project coordinators – University of Maynooth, Smashing Times Theatre Company, and…