IRISH president Michael D Higgins is visiting three African countries over the next week. As part of the official state visits Mr Higgins, pictured, will meet Ethiopia's president Mulatu T e s h o m e and prime m i n i s t e r Hailemariam Desalegn, the president of Malawi Peter Mutharika and president of South Africa Jacob Zuma.
The President's office said the trip will recognise and build on Ireland's strong historic relation-ship with the continent and the major contribution of the state's development aid programmes and Irish missionaries and strengthen bilateral partnerships.
During the visit Mr Higgins plans to address pan-African themes including sustainable development, climate change, human rights and urgent challenges posed by population movements and the Ebola crisis.
"Ireland's relationship with Africa is an important area of our foreign policy and an area which is increasing in its significance because of global issues such as food security, ending poverty and the emerging discussion on new models of development. Over recent decades, our relationship with Africa has mainly centred on our development aid programme," the President said before his departure.
"We now face a turning point in the relationship between Ireland and Africa; a relationship which in this century will be increasingly about partnership, cooperation, and a fair and just trade.
"Based on our history, Ireland has a strong reputation in Africa and as Africa advances we are in a strong position to work together in friendship."