Ireland’s chequered history makes us natural allies of Africa

I am honoured to be Ireland’s first ambassador in Kenya since the embassy in Nairobi was closed, for economic reasons, in 1988.

Since that time Ireland’s economic development was characterised by rapid growth from the mid 1990s to 2008 when recession again hit our shores.

Following a difficult period of adjustment Ireland emerged from recession in 2014 and is now the fastest growing economy in the European Union. Trade has been the key driver of this recovery – Ireland’s exports are now higher than the pre-crisis peak in 2007.

The re-opening of our embassy in Kenya in October 2014, one of eight new missions opened globally last year — Ireland also has embassies in Tanzania and Uganda — coincides with a strong government effort to re-engage with countries with whom we enjoy strong political relations. It signals a determination not just to promote Ireland’s interests and values overseas but also to establish mutually beneficial relationships.

Ireland is a small island nation of almost 4.5 million in the northwest of Europe. The island of Ireland was separated from mainland Europe at the end of the last ice age and our rugged coastline and valleys are famous worldwide. Ireland attracts many tourists every year – the greenness of our countryside being a national distinguishing characteristic.

We are a country that has had colonisation, liberation, hunger and migration at the heart of our collective experience. This history is strongly reflected in a rich culture that we treasure and which is reflected in our music, our literature, our language and our sport. In continuity with this heritage, many Irish musicians, poets and sportsmen and women are renowned globally.

The Irish state is young in relative terms and was founded in 1922 after many years of conflict and rebellion. In the years since the foundation of the state, our society has been transformed from one that was poor, insular and largely dependent on subsistence agriculture into a developed modern society that is very well integrated into the European Union and that, in 2015, is rated the third most globalised country in the world.

What characterises Ireland in 2015? Ireland today has the youngest population in the European Union; it is, according to the OECD, one of the 10 best educated countries in the world; it is ranked third in the world for the best business environment; it has been recognised by the Lonely Planet as the world’s friendliest country.

A key defining characteristic of Ireland, a collective function of our history, our geography, our values and our economic necessity is our outward focus.

Ireland has a long history of emigration. People of Irish descent can be found in many corners of the world, in the US, the UK, across Europe and in Australia. There are also smaller Irish communities in South America and in many African countries.

Many Irish people left the country because of famine or economic necessity. Others ventured out because of a sense of responsibility to contribute – in this context, the legacy of Irish missionaries and aid workers is respected globally. More recently, the Irish have travelled the world in search of business opportunities.

Our outward focus is also reflected in how we have structured our economy. Ireland is now one of the most open economies in the world. We are the most successful country in Europe for attracting foreign direct investment.

This, combined with a very strong indigenous spirit of entrepreneurship, is resulting in growth across all Ireland’s export markets and has led to a reduction in unemployment from 15.1 per cent to 10.1 per cent since 2008.

Ireland’s relationship with Africa has a long history. Even before the foundation of the Irish state, missionaries and aid workers from Ireland travelled throughout Africa and established schools and hospitals, working with the poorest in African society.

These historical relationships are complemented by co-operation through the Irish government’s official aid programme, Irish Aid, which allocates a higher proportion of ODA to sub-Saharan Africa than any other OECD donor.

Ireland’s engagement with Africa is further enhanced by the reputation of Irish peacekeepers, who have participated in 10 peacekeeping missions in Africa since 1960, and our political engagement with African politicians and diplomats.

We also now have a very strong and evolving business relationship with Africa – with many Irish companies already doing business with, or planning to do so, with African partners.

The strength of this relationship is reflected in Ireland’s diplomatic representation in Africa.

With the opening of our new embassy in Kenya in 2014, Ireland now has 10 full embassies in sub-Saharan Africa – in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

In his annual message for St Patricks Day this year, our President Michael D Higgins recalled how, when St Patrick arrived on the shores of Ireland some 1,600 years ago, his story was founded on hardship, destitution and great sorrow. However since that time this transformed into a narrative of courage, vision and opportunity.

This, our president stated, is an experience we share with many populations across globe and is something, as a nation, we must never forget. My wish is that our work here is characterised by this vision.

Dr Vincent O’Neill is Ireland’s ambassador to Kenya.