merrion street

“Africa a Key Trading Partner for Ireland”


The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney TD, departs today (Sunday 29th) on a weeklong trade mission to West Africa.
Speaking before his departure, Minister Coveney said:
“This Trade Mission provides a key foundation on which to build strong economic links with West Africa and with Nigeria and Ghana in particular. The region has a strong demand for imports of quality food, given the size of its population and Ireland is strategically placed to be a key supplier of quality dairy and meat products, but also high end services in the field of education, finance, engineering, construction and technology”.
Involving more than 40 Irish companies, as well as senior delegates from Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, and Sustainable Food Systems Ireland, the mission will take in visits to Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria, and Accra in Ghana. The Trade Mission will cover three major cities in two countries in five days with over forty key engagements.

CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon said
“We are very excited about the opportunity that exists for Irish companies in Africa. The continent as a whole is the second fastest growing economy in the world and is home to eight of the world's fastest growing economies. This trade mission is about helping Irish companies to optimise on the opportunity that exists, as the continent transitions from the need for assistance, to a continent of opportunity; the so-called 'aid to trade' journey. Our ambition is to reach export sales of €600m to the region by 2018 and we will continue to work with ambitious and capable Irish companies to expand their market share in African countries, exploring and developing lucrative trading relationships, that ultimately deliver export-led job creation in Ireland.”
Expanding economies in West Africa provide fertile ground for Irish companies in the agri food sector wishing to expand their global footprint, and also in fields such as education, training, geoscience and engineering, financial services and technology. With combined populations of over 200 million, Nigeria and Ghana are experiencing healthy economic growth at present.

CEO of Bord Bia Aidan Cotter commented

“Africa represents a growing opportunity for Irish food and drink exporters with its population set to double to 2.5 billion people over the next three and half decades. Ireland’s more than billion euro export trade with Africa is dominated by dairy products and with the sector set for sustained expansion, the region is assuming major importance as a key target region.”
“As part of the Trade Mission, Bord Bia’s Dairy Seminar taking place in Lagos on Tuesday will focus on highlighting Ireland’s sustainable dairy food production and will be attended by leading players from Nigeria’s dairy industry” Mr. Cotter added.

Overall, bilateral trade with Nigeria was worth half a billion euro in 2014 (exports €339 million), with Guinness extract the single largest export. Merchandise trade with Ghana was worth €38.7m in 2014 (exports €36.3million).

Minister Coveney’s presence will help to develop key relationships with potential clients for Irish companies, and to build a strong profile for Ireland as a centre of excellence in all of these areas. His visit will also involve key events for the Irish dairy and meat sectors, and will include bilateral meetings with his Ministerial counterparts in both Nigeria and Ghana.

The Minister will also meet with World Food Programme Officials in Ghana, and visit a number of aid projects funded by that organisation, which receives approximately €8 million aid from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as part of Ireland’s overseas development effort.


ENDS

Note to editors – Ministerial itinerary

Sunday, 29th November 2015

AM Depart Dublin Airport for Abuja
PM Arrive Abuja
PM Trade Mission Welcome Reception
Embassy Of Ireland Abuja

Monday 30th November 2015 – Abuja

AM Business networking Breakfast
AM Bord Bia client company event Ag Food sector
AM Bilateral – Federal Minister for Agriculture
PM EI client companies Education sector working lunch
PM EI client company Construction sector
PM EI Client company event ICT sector
PM Travel to Lagos
PM Trade Delegation briefing

Tuesday, 1st December 2015 - Lagos

AM Business Networking Breakfast
AM Irish Business Network meeting
AM Bord Bia event Dairy seminar
AM EI Client event Education sector
AM EI Client event Education sector
PM EI Client event Financial Services sector
PM EI Client event Agri sector
PM EI Client event Energy sector
PM EI Client event ICT sector
PM EI Client event Engineering Design sector
PM EI Client event ICT sector
PM Press briefing
PM Business Networking reception Building Technology

Wednesday, 2nd December 2015 – Lagos

AM EI client event ICT sector
AM Networking breakfast Financial Innovation
AM Bord Bia client event Ag food sector
AM Bord Bia client event Ag food sector
PM Bord Bia client event Ag food sector
PM Press briefing
PM EI client event
PM Travel to Accra
PM Visit to Humanitarian Response Depot
PM Bilateral with Ghana Agriculture Minister
PM Business Networking Dinner,

Thursday, 3rd December 2015 – Accra

AM Bord Bia client company event Ag food sector
AM Business networking event Bord Bia / EI / SFSI
AM UN event Peacekeeping School
AM Bilateral with Ghanaian Minister for Defence
PM Business networking Lunch
PM EI Financial Technology event
PM EI client event ICT sector
PM Media briefing
PM EI client event Education sector
PM Business Networking Reception

Friday, 4th December 2015 – Tamale

PM Depart for Tamale
AM Visit Humanitarian aid projects with the UN WFP
AM Meeting Northern Regional Minister
PM Depart for Accra
PM Depart for Dublin

Saturday, 5th December 2015 – Tamale

AM Arrival Dublin airport