Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney TD will visit the Gulf on 14-16 June, to hold discussions with countries of the region on a number of key issues for the UN Security Council.

Ireland has a particular role on the Security Council as Facilitator for the Iranian nuclear deal, and acts as co-penholder with Norway on the Syrian humanitarian file. Meetings with countries with the region will provide a valuable opportunity to exchange views on these issues, as well as discuss other key issues on the Council agenda including Yemen, Iraq, and the Middle East Peace Process.

The Minister will begin his visit in the UAE, which has just been elected to the UN Security Council for the 2022-23 term, where he will meet Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of UAE, and also with Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020. As well as foreign policy discussions, the Minister will have an opportunity to review preparations for Dubai EXPO 2020, where Ireland will be one of over 180 participating countries, and to visit Ireland’s national pavilion.

In Riyadh, the Minister will meet Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, as well as Deputy Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. He will also meet with Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf, the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is based in Riyadh.

In Riyadh, Minister Coveney will also meet with the President of Yemen, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, to discuss efforts to end the terrible conflict in Yemen.