The Global Island: Ireland's Foreign Policy for a Changing World
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The Global Island The Global Island Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World a Changing for Policy Foreign Ireland’s Our People Our Values Our Prosperity www.dfa.ie | @dfatIRL RIALTAS NA hÉIREANN GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND IRELAND ÉIRE 㪗ᝡؐ IRLANDE Ιρλανδία ア イル ラン ド IRLAND IRLANDA አየርላንድ ไอร์แลนด์ AIRIJA IIRIMAA ` AI LEN я Ирланди ÍRORSZÁG ྤၩ೯ .ie Printed on FSC Certifi ed paper. reddog design_www. 1 Foreword Ireland’s last major statement our Ambassadors and comprising As we approach the centenary of the of foreign policy priorities was representatives of our Embassies and Easter Rising in 2016, it is timely to take published almost 20 years ago, in State Agencies. Annual Local Market stock of our place in the world and the 1996 White Paper Challenges Plans have assisted with our healthy the interests and values we wish to and Opportunities Abroad. In the export market, which has grown every promote through our foreign policy. intervening years, we have witnessed year since 2011. rapid and significant change – shifting This policy review is the product of a patterns of power and influence, This enhanced focus on trade and review initiated by my predecessor as conflicts, wars and terrorism, new economic recovery is part of the broad Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, technologies facilitating instantaneous role of the Department of Foreign Eamon Gilmore T.D., and has involved communication across the world and Affairs and Trade. Today, our security, consultation across Government, a growing interdependence between our prosperity and the wellbeing of with members of the Oireachtas, economies, societies and people. our people are connected to the wider with civil society and with members world as never before. In the world of the public. In 2008, Ireland experienced of 2015, nothing is entirely foreign or an unprecedented economic wholly domestic. Written in clear and accessible collapse. The crash, when it came, language, it offers a progressive and brought home very powerfully This means that our foreign policy is forward-looking vision of Ireland’s our vulnerabilities as a small open more important to us now than at any foreign policy and our place in the economy but also our strengths – as time in our history. world. It lays down the goals and key a longstanding and fully engaged areas of focus for the Government’s member of the European Union, a Through it, we safeguard our peace, global engagement to safeguard a significant factor in the stabilisation security and economic prosperity, secure and prosperous future for the of our national finances and in our and promote reconciliation and Irish people, and to make a distinctive burgeoning economic recovery. cooperation at home. At the core of this and principled contribution to the foreign policy are the protection of our collective international effort to build a The Department of Foreign Affairs and citizens and the promotion of our better world. Trade has played an important role in values abroad. implementing this Government’s plan This is a vision of which Irish people to turn the Irish economy around. In Our foreign policy is also a statement can be proud. I know too, that as 2011, the Department was allocated about us as a people. We have a proud a resilient people with our own responsibility for Trade, following tradition of principled engagement global story, we have the capability which the Export Trade Council was on issues such as development, UN and the confidence to meet these established to co-ordinate across all peacekeeping, disarmament and challenges together. Government Departments and State human rights. This is a central part agencies involved in the promotion of our foreign policy. A secure and and development of trade, tourism prosperous Ireland is better placed and investment. Overseas, Local to make its voice heard in support of Charles Flanagan T.D. Market Teams have been established our values. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in 27 priority markets; chaired by 2 Contents Foreword 1 Embracing a Changing World 4 Our People 12 Our Values 26 Our Prosperity 44 Reconciliation and Cooperation A Secure World 28 Driving Economic Growth 45 in Ireland 13 A Just World 34 Removing Barriers to Trade, Serving our People Abroad 16 Investment and Mobility 47 A Fairer World 37 Connecting with the Ensuring a Sustainable and Global Irish Family 22 A Sustainable World 42 Competitive Tax Regime 49 Sharing our Culture 25 Deepening Engagement with Priority and High Potential Markets 51 Making the Most of our Competitive Advantages 58 3 Our Place Our Influence 72 in Europe 62 Engaging at the Heart of Europe 63 An Accountable Foreign Policy 74 Responding to An Open Approach to Critical Challenges 64 Foreign Policy 75 Our EU Priorities 66 The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 78 Building Alliances and Influencing Outcomes 66 A Strong European Voice in the World 69 Embracing a Changing World EMBRACING A CHANGING WORLD 5 solutions, and in how the world looks Ireland. It is also an increasingly The world is no and works. As a small country with important global actor in its own right. longer foreign one of the most globalised economies Our membership of the EU underpins in the world, we are profoundly our position and role in the world and lthough an island, Ireland influenced by these changes. how we conduct our foreign policy. is connected to the global community in ways that While Europe, North America and the Economic power is shifting. Despite the Awould have seemed fanciful only western world more generally continue recent financial crisis, global economic a generation ago. We connect to enjoy prosperity, security and global output is projected to double by 2030, instantaneously with people and influence, the rise in prominence with growing demand for food, energy events around the globe. Our of countries in the East and South and natural resources. Much of this people and our outlook are global, is transforming the way the global growth will be in emerging economies influencing and influenced by this system works. Emerging powers are in Asia, Africa and Latin America. By contact. Our culture shapes and is playing a role of growing importance 2030, the Organisation for Economic shaped by these connections. Our on the world stage, increasingly active Cooperation and Development (OECD) economy is interwoven with that of on a wide range of issues. projects that China and India together the rest of the world. will account for 35% of global Gross Regional organisations are also playing Domestic Product (GDP), while OECD Our world is changing faster than an ever more important role. The most countries’ share will fall by more we think. This change can be seen in integrated, successful and influential than 10%. shifting balances of economic and of these is the European Union, which political influence, in a widening range has profoundly transformed relations of global challenges that require global between European states, including 6 EMBRACING A CHANGING WORLD The world population is growing. A CHANGING WORLD ECONOMY, 2010-2030 The UN estimates it will be almost 8.5 billion by 2030, a rise of 22% since 2010, Global GDP is taken as a sum of GDP for 34 OECD countries and 8 non‑OECD countries with most of this growth in emerging economies and developing regions, which are projected to account for 7.1 6% billion people by 2030. In the same India United States 23% year, it is forecast that countries of the Japan 7% European Union will represent about 2011 Euro area 17% 18% 6% of the world’s population, down Other OECD Other non OECD 12% from 8.9% in 1990. China 17% The world is also ageing and becoming more urban. Already, more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas and, by 2030, the OECD India 11% 18% projects that 60% will do so. The global United States Japan 4% population aged over sixty years is 2030 Euro area 12% projected to almost double to 1.4 Other OECD 15% 12% billion by 2030, with 70% of this group Other non OECD China 28% concentrated in developing regions. The accelerating pace of technological innovation is also reshaping our Source: OECD Economic Policy Paper No.3 Looking to 2060: Long‑term global growth prospects, 2012 world. It took seventy-five years for the telephone to reach fifty million users, but only thirty-eight years for A GROWING GLOBAL MIDDLE CLASS, 2010-2030 radio, thirteen years for television, and just four years for the internet. There are almost three billion internet 3500 users today, two-thirds in developing Millions countries. This growth is largely being 3000 driven by mobile broadband, which grew over 40% in Africa in the period 2011-2014. Simultaneously, the number 2500 of mobile phone subscriptions is approaching the number of people 2000 on earth, over half of which are in the Asia-Pacific region alone. 1500 Global economic development is lifting millions out of poverty, while 1000 increasing prosperity is changing consumption patterns, giving rise to 500 demand for education, travel, food and consumer goods and services. Rising 0 GDP is contributing to a growing 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 global middle class, which is projected to reach 4.9 billion by 2030, up from North America Europe Central & South America 1.8 billion in 2009. By 2030, Asia alone Asia Pacific Sub-Saharan Africa MIddle East & North Africa is expected to account for 66% of the global middle class. An expanding Source: OECD Working Paper No. 285 The Emerging Middle Class in Developing Countries (2010) global economy offers opportunities EMBRACING A CHANGING WORLD 7 pose significant challenges across the globe, and for low-lying countries and small island states in particular.