Minister Coveney visits Middle East
Press release
01 November 2021The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D., begins a four-day working visit to the Middle East tomorrow (Tuesday 2nd November), traveling to Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
The Minister will travel first to Israel and Palestine, his fifth such visit as Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Minister’s itinerary includes a wide range of engagements in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah including meetings with senior political leaders, UN officials and civil society representatives.
The Minister will also visit communities in the West Bank to hear directly about the challenges that they face and how Irish Aid funding is supporting humanitarian actors to respond to their needs.
The Minister will travel on to Jordan, where he will officially open Ireland’s new Embassy alongside the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi. Since its establishment in 2019, the Embassy has deepened Ireland’s footprint in the region and strengthened links between Ireland and Jordan. The Minister will also meet with refugee communities, humanitarian actors and business representatives.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Coveney said:
“During this visit I will meet with a range of Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and civil society. I will speak clearly and frankly about negative trends, including violence, demolitions, evictions, and settlement activity that are causing ongoing suffering and threaten to erode the prospect of a negotiated two State solution. In the past week we have seen further negative developments in terms of settlement activity and civil society space which I have spoken out against. I will use this opportunity to again convey my concerns and call for the end of such acts.
“In Jordan, I am delighted to be officially opening our new Embassy alongside Minister Safadi, an important milestone in the deepening of ties between our two countries. Jordan is an important partner in the region and I look forward to discussing a broad spectrum of issues, including bilateral relations and trade, the Syrian conflict, the Middle East Peace Process, and the challenges facing the wider region.”
ENDS
Press Office
01 Nov 2021
