Minister Coveney visits Washington DC
Press release
28 September 2020Minister Coveney visits Washington D.C.
28-30 September 2020
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D., will travel to the United States today for a series of meetings in Washington D.C.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Minister said:
“I am visiting the United States at an important time for both countries, as we face the challenges arising from COVID19 and from Brexit, and as we look forward to sharing a tenure on the Security Council.
“There is a lot of interest in the United States on the implications Brexit will have for the island of Ireland, North and South. I will use this opportunity to thank our friends from across the political spectrum in the United States who have been vocal supporters of the Good Friday Agreement and who have advocated for the protection of the achievements of the peace process.
“It will also be an important time to discuss our priorities on the Security Council and ways in which we can work together in the pursuit of international peace and security, as we have done in the face of conflict on our own island.
“I am also looking forward to celebrating the anniversary of the historic meeting between Frederick Douglass and Daniel O’Connell 175 years ago. The connection between these two great men, and the legacy both have left, remind us of the imperative always to strive for equality and liberty, wherever we see oppression or exclusion.”
ENDS
PRESS OFFICE
28 SEPTEMBER 2020
Notes for Editors
· Over the course of the two-day visit, he will meet with senior members of Congress from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal and Republican Congressman Peter King. He will also meet with National Security Advisor, Robert O’Brien, and senior officials from the US Department of State. The visit will offer a valuable opportunity to discuss key priorities, including Brexit, Northern Ireland and Ireland’s upcoming tenure on the UN Security Council.
· It also coincides with the 175th anniversary of the day young American abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, met Daniel O’Connell in Dublin. To commemorate the encounter, Minister Coveney will announce a new partnership with the US Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) for ten young students from minority communities to be awarded the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship to study in Ireland.
· The Minister will also engage in discussions with the business community, as well as addressing a virtual event with the Aspen Institute.
