In a world as fast-moving and unpredictable as the one we are navigating currently, it is nice to know there are predictable lighthouses on the horizon and a few certainties upon which we can depend. One of those is that St. Patrick’s Day, every 17 March, is an occasion that Irish people, and people of Irish heritage, will be keen to celebrate all over our world, including here in Egypt. And for our small island, from which so many people emigrated throughout our history, this really is a global celebration of history, culture, connections and shared values.
Ireland does not take this for granted, ever. We are fortunate to have a national day that is enjoyed internationally and gives us an opportunity to share our story. But we know too that stories most resonate when the themes under discussion are universal, when the journey is within a world we can recognise and when the arc of the narrative is ultimately hopeful. For Ireland, we believe all of this holds true.
Ireland may feature near the top of the UN’s Human Development Index today, but this was not always the case. We understand the challenges very many countries face around hunger and poverty because these experiences were part of our history too. And though Ireland’s story of sovereignty and independence is now more than 100 years old, it is only in the last half a century – and in the 53 years since we joined the European Union, to be more precise – that our economy has grown exponentially and our society has become more tolerant, more equal and more inclusive. It is these latter values, together with our commitment to human rights, international law and multilateralism, that we will champion if we are successful in our bid for membership of the UN’s Human Rights Council from 2027 to 2029.
2026 is a huge year for Ireland too. In July, we will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for just the eighth time in our history. For people in Ireland, these six months periods where we lead in steering the European agenda are etched into our memories, our sense of who and where we were at different moments in our history. In Ireland, during our 1990 Presidency, vital decisions were taken at European level to smooth the path towards German reunification. During our Presidency in 2004, the European Union undertook its greatest ever expansion, increasing from 15 Member States to 25 on 1 May that year.
Ireland will take on the mantle of the Presidency in 2026 at a juncture when global challenges have rarely looked so formidable. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year, has brought war to Europe, with continuing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s towns, cities and energy infrastructure. Ireland, for our part, is unequivocal in our support for the brave men and women of Ukraine. We need to see a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence. Russia’s brutal war is a challenge to European security and is global in its impacts. We welcome the efforts of the United States to end Russia’s war of aggression and we will support these efforts through our membership of the Coalition of the Willing.
As regards the current conflict in Iran and the Gulf and Middle East, Ireland’s longstanding position is one of support for international law and the United Nations. Our priority now is to see urgent de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy. Elsewhere in the region, we welcome all good faith efforts to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict. We will continue to work for a durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians with the implementation of a two-State solution at its core. This also means that, in the West Bank, we must see an end to settlement expansion, rising settler violence and mass displacement.
In Sudan, the scale and depravity of the horrors being inflicted on the civilian population should shock the conscience of us all. The international community must do more to end this appalling conflict. We must secure an immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access. The suffering in Sudan is unconscionable and has gone on far too long.
None of this is easy work. We know from our own history, and the violence in Northern Ireland between the 1960s and 1990s, that conflict resolution is never straightforward, or without difficult compromises. As the Irish poet WB Yeats said, “peace comes dropping slow”. We also know that even countries which want peace must ensure they are ready to face threats from those who don’t. For Ireland, a militarily neutral country, this is why we have increased defence spending by 43% since 2020 and announced the most significant programme of capital investment in our Defence Forces in the history of our state.
Our ambition is a safe and prosperous Ireland helping to shape a competitive and innovative Europe.
Our current economic indicators in Ireland are positive – unemployment is low and the domestic economy is strong and growing. Ireland remains an open economy and home to the EU headquarters of many major international companies. They are choosing Ireland as a high-skilled and English-speaking gateway to a European Union of 450 million citizens and consumers.
Ireland has always played an active role in shaping the European Union, just as Europe has so profoundly shaped Ireland, and we will prioritise strengthening the Union’s competitiveness and deepening our EU single market during our Presidency this year. This, after all, is a Union in which Ireland feels very much at home. 82% of Irish people support our EU membership, one of the highest figures for any EU Member State.
The Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between Egypt and the European Union makes it easier to develop trade between our two countries. We see Egypt as an indispensable partner. Ireland is a services economy and bilateral trade in goods and services with Egypt is now over €1.5 billion per annum. The Grand Egyptian Museum, designed by the Irish architects Heneghan Peng, stands as a monument to that partnership.
At a time of so much turbulence, there is strength in Irish stability. Predictability rarely makes for dramatic breaking news – but it can produce a great location to invest, visit, study and do business. This is Ireland in 2026 – a country with lots of challenges, domestically and internationally, but also one well-placed to lead a strong national and European response. An ambition worth toasting this St. Patrick’s Day!
Aidan O’Hara is the Ambassador of Ireland to Egypt