President Michael D Higgins has said the people of Ireland and the continent of Africa share “a common past”. Giving the keynote address at Trinity College Dublin on Thursday to celebrate Africa Day, on Friday, the President said Africa is the continent “of promise and opportunity” in the 21st century while also the focus of global challenges. “And more than any other place on earth, the continent of Africa has the potential, the energy and the courage to lead the world in overcoming our shared challenges. “My predecessor as president, Mary Robinson, played a very important role in both reflecting and increasing public support for overseas assistance through official visits to Somalia and Rwanda,” he said. “After her election to the office of president in 1990, she continued her support for the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, a reflection of its growing influence in Irish society.”

Source: The Irish Times May 24, 2018 17:26 UTC