Minister Richmond begins four day visit to United Arab Emirates

Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, has today begun a four day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will engage with Irish Community groups in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, visit Irish Aid partner organisations and hold bilateral meetings with political counterparts.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the Minister of State said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to travel to the UAE and engage with a range of political, business and community partners.

“There are strong connections between our two countries with an estimated 14,000 Irish people residing in the UAE. Furthermore, over the last 20 years, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has conferred degrees on over 3,000 graduates across the Gulf Cooperation Countries, including Emirati nationals.

“During my visit, I look forward to meeting with Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. The UAE is a key market for Ireland’s services exports with approximately 70 Irish businesses having a presence on the ground, and over 200 Irish companies exporting to the UAE market.

“As part of my continued engagement with the global Irish family on the development of the next Diaspora Strategy, I will be holding consultations with members of the Irish Communities in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai to listen to their views on how we as a State can support our diaspora in an ever changing global landscape.”

During the course of the visit the Minister will also visit the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Dubai, which is a long-standing partner of Irish Aid. The UNHRD hub in Dubai offers a regional one-stop-shop for procuring, storing and delivering essential humanitarian supplies into difficult to reach locations.

ENDS

Press Office

01 September 2025