VP/FM Ramírez proves Colombian-Irish relations are at an all-time high. Following the visit of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to Colombia, Vice-president & Foreign Minister of Colombia, Marta Lucía Ramírez, attended the Global Diaspora Summit as per the invitation of the Irish government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) held at the start of the month in Dublin. This was the highest level visit from a Colombian official in 22 years of a bilateral relationship.
The agenda during the three-day visit included a courtesy call to Áras an Uachtaráin to meet President Michael D Higgans. She also held meetings with An Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Minister for forgien affairs Simon Coveney with members of Oireachtas, among them the Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, and the Chairman of the Joint Committee for Foreign Affairs. Vice-president Ramírez co-chaired with An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar at the Irish-Colombian Business Network breakfast.
The agenda was rounded-up with several events for sharing lessons in migration policy and gender equality. With the aim of sharing experiences, the Colombian Vice-president participated in a breakfast and roundtable with leading people in the private sector working to promote gender equality. Balance for Better Business and the 30% Club were among the attendees of this discussion. She also held a lunch and discussion on female leadership in politics with the participation of the President of the Irish Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Women for Election, among other outstanding Irish women in politics.
Vice-President Ramírez participated in the webinar The Colombian Experience: Addressing Gender Equality and the Global Challenges of Migration organised in collaboration with the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). There was also a space to meet the media, she was interviewed by Irish Times’ Sorcha Pollack.
