The Tánaiste will today travel to the United States for a series of engagements in New York and Washington, D.C.
In New York, the Tánaiste will undertake engagements in support of Ireland’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, the election for which will take place next year.
In Washington DC, the Tánaiste will join many of his EU counterparts and representatives of over 70 countries, in attending a Ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, of which Ireland is a member. The Tánaiste will have the opportunity to meet with US Secretary Pompeo during the Ministerial meeting.
Engaging with Secretary Pompeo, meeting with the Congressional Friends of Ireland, as well as many other meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, will offer valuable opportunities for the Tánaiste to discuss priority issues, in particular Northern Ireland, Brexit, immigration, our economic relationship and foreign policy issues, including the Middle East.
The Tánaiste will also address a large event on Capitol Hill on 6 February with the Congressional Friends of Ireland to mark the centenary of the First Dáil at the commencement of the 116th US Congress.
As part of that event, the Tánaiste will launch the Government’s new Strategy for the US and Canada for the period to 2025, under the Global Ireland Initiative. This Strategy will see Ireland doubling its impact in both the US and Canada, through investment and engagement; deepening, broadening and securing these hugely important relationships at every level for the future.
Commenting on the launch of the US and Canada Strategy the Tánaiste said:
“I and my Government colleagues are determined to protect, invest in and develop Ireland’s relationship with the US and with Canada for the future. We want these relationships to thrive for the benefit of all of our citizens.
“What’s envisaged in this Strategy is nothing less than a step-change in our engagement; and an engagement commensurate with the importance of the relationships, taking account of new geopolitical realities and demographic change.
“An unprecedented level of investment in our presence and capacity across the US and Canada will enable us to build new partnerships, at every level, and in every region. We will devote new energy to our thriving reciprocal economic relationships, currently responsible for the direct employment of well over a quarter of a million of our citizens. Moreover, we will connect with new generations, across communities of Irish heritage and none, to ensure these age-old transatlantic relationships develop and evolve for the future.”
