Ireland's Foreign Relations in 2013

Abstract

This article examines aspects of Ireland's foreign relations in 2013. It begins with a brief overview of Ireland's six-month presidency of the European Union before assessing features of Ireland's relationship with the EU, including its exit from the EU/IMF/ECB loan programme in December. It then proceeds to survey relations with the Middle East and North Africa, in particular with Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Israel–Palestine, before discussing the achievements of and challenges to the government's overseas aid programme during 2013. Deteriorating relations with Russia and Ukraine are then examined. Next, the paper assesses events related to Irish-US affairs, including the Obama family's visit to Ireland; the fallout from the Edward Snowden revelations of illegal surveillance by the National Security Agency; and efforts to ameliorate the plight of undocumented Irish immigrants to the US. President Higgins's tour of Central America is then reviewed, and this is followed by an examination of Ireland's interaction with Asia, particularly China. An appraisal of Ireland's reaction to the death of Nelson Mandela is provided, along with a short account of Ireland's evolving relationship with South Africa. Finally, the article sheds light on significant political events and processes in Northern Ireland and developments in Anglo-Irish relations generally during 2013.