Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 December 2025
161. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has raised concerns regarding the European Commission's negotiation of a trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates, given the well-documented role of that country in supplying weapons to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68878/25]
View answerAs an EU Member State, Ireland is part of a growing network of EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). In April 2025, European Commission President von der Leyen announced that the EU had agreed to open negotiations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a Free Trade Agreement. The European Commission, which leads on trade negotiations, has engaged with the UAE on three rounds of negotiations, with a fourth scheduled for early December.
For Ireland, delivering a modern and ambitious FTA with the UAE will not only reinforce EU and Irish relations with the UAE, but also support the important goal of market diversification via an expanded set of EU FTAs.
Our support for enhanced trading relationships does not mean that we avoid difficult issues. Ireland has discussed the engagement of the UAE in Sudan bilaterally with the UAE at Ministerial and official level. The UAE has consistently denied the allegations. We will continue to engage with the UAE on all aspects of the situation in Sudan.
Together with our EU partners, Ireland has been very clear that external engagement in the conflict must end. At the May 2025 meeting of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Political Committee, Ireland, speaking on behalf of the EU, stressed the need to use every influence to prevent external actors from providing arms to combatants and to unite in favour of peace.
In a November statement by the High Representative, the EU reiterated the messages set out in October’s Council Conclusions on Sudan. The EU calls on all external actors to take the necessary measures to end the sale or supply of arms and related material to all parties, in accordance with the UN arms embargo. The EU will continue to advocate for the expansion of the arms embargo to the whole territory of Sudan.
Specific allegations of violations of the UN embargo and EU sanctions are pursued through UN and EU channels. Ireland continues to call on all parties to comply fully with their obligations and to refrain from any actions that prolong the conflict and fuel further violence.
