EU: Peace and development in Africa will be among the issues for discussion between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and his counterparts from Mozambique and South Africa at an EU-African Union Troika meeting in Farmleigh today, writes Deaglán de Bréadún Foreign Affairs Correspondent
As well as the Mozambique Foreign Minister, Mr Leonardo Simao, and the South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Dutch Development Minister, Ms Agnes van Ardenne, the EU's Foreign Policy Representative, Mr Javier Solana, and the European Commissioner for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid, Mr Poul Nielson, will also participate.
A separate Troika meeting, focusing on EU-South Africa relations, will take place tomorrow in Dublin Castle, where Mr Cowen and Dr Dlamini-Zuma will lead their respective delegations.
The two sides will also discuss the 10th anniversary of the end of apartheid and the creation of democratic South Africa which occurs this month. Bilaterally, the two ministers will sign a Declaration of Intent to further deepen ties between Ireland and South Africa.
It is one of the declared objectives of Ireland's European presidency to ensure that African issues are placed high on the EU agenda and to "revitalise" EU-African co-operation. Poverty, conflict and the spread of HIV/AIDS are among the main items of concern.
April is seen as the key month in efforts to make good on this commitment, with a series of meetings and events on EU-Africa relations leading to a "substantive" discussion by EU Foreign Ministers at the end of the month.
Next week, Mr Cowen will make an official visit to four African countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda and Burundi. He will represent the EU at a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide.
On April 22nd, the Association of West European Parliamentarians for Africa will hold a meeting in Dublin to discuss HIV/AIDS and governance in Africa.
At the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on April 26th and 27th, EU Foreign Ministers will hold a discussion on the Union's relationship with Africa.
According to the work programme for the presidency: "Our overriding message will be support for African-led initiatives to tackle the enormous challenges the continent faces.
"A central area of discussion with African partners will be African conflict prevention, peacemaking and crisis management capacity. Dialogue at ministerial level with the African Union will concentrate on these issues.
"In particular, the Irish presidency will focus on the implementation of the Peace Facility for Africa. It will also seek to support positive regional developments in Africa, including the peace process in Sudan and in the Great Lakes region."