Ireland’s ties with the UAE are flourishing, with trade surging and soaring numbers of Irish calling the Emirates home, the country's envoy has said.
Alison Milton, Ireland's ambassador to the UAE, said bilateral trade between the two nations was now more than €7.7 billion ($8.41 billion) – its highest yet – and she was keen to see this grow further.
In a wide-ranging interview to mark St Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national holiday that falls on Monday, and 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between the countries, Ms Milton reflected on this milestone, the global economic outlook and the importance of the UAE to Ireland.
“This is a very, very important bilateral relationship for Ireland,” Ms Milton told The National. “We're very proud of the legacy that Irish people have had on this country and continue to have.”
Relations are warm as well as historic, with Irish people playing key roles in the UAE from the early days. The late Colm McLoughlin, for example, helped to build Dubai Duty Free into an airport retail giant. Another Irish citizen, Gerald Lawless, played an integral role in building up the hospitality group Jumeirah.
Record numbers of Irish residents
Today the Irish community in the UAE stands at about 12,500 – believed to be its highest level yet.
“The fact that 12,500 Irish people call the UAE their home really speaks to the strength of this relationship,” she said. “This is one of the strongest footprints we have in the world and, outside of our traditional diaspora communities, it is definitely the largest,” she said, referring to countries such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia. “It is really a phenomenal number and it's growing."
It is estimated that teachers make up between 3,000 and 4,000 of the total, with about 1,000 to 2,000 in health care, although exact statistics are not available.
The €7.7 billion trade figure is built around goods, financial services, aviation leasing and much more, with co-operation extending into many fields. An extradition treaty was signed last year, for example.
Tourism is also crucial and Ms Milton is trying to increase the estimated 87,000 Irish who visited the UAE in 2023. These links are helped by several direct flights a day. It is also, the envoy notes, a two-way relationship, with many Emiratis over the decades studying medicine mainly at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Draw of the UAE
A new government took office in Ireland in January, pledging to tackle key issues at home such as the housing crunch. “Like every country, we have challenges at the moment,” she said.
She said Ireland did not want to lose teachers and nurses, and hoped those who came to the UAE would return to contribute to Ireland’s growth. “We also will benefit ... from the fact that they come back with a deeper understanding of the Middle East. We have always been a country that has migrated.”
Ms Milton, from Co Clare, also has other Gulf states in her remit, with about 170 Irish in Kuwait and another 2,500 in Qatar. She began her term as envoy in 2022.
Tackling global challenges
The visit of the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin on Wednesday to the White House for the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations was watched around the world.
US President Donald Trump spoke out about the large trade surplus Ireland runs with the US but said this was because the Emerald Isle was "very smart". Mr Martin told Mr Trump that foreign investment is a two-way street, adding that Ireland is "investing a lot more in America now".
Ms Milton said the meeting underlined the strong Irish-US relationship. “I think our Taoiseach did very well in speaking about what we are contributing in an inward investment point of view into the US and that's very important," she said.
She said the world was enduring “tricky economic and geopolitical times", and spoke of her desire to see a lasting peace in Gaza and Ukraine. Ms Milton said Ireland had a long experience of conflict and peace, with the agreement that brought an end to what was known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland signed in 1998.
"It was an important opportunity ... for our Taoiseach to talk about the importance of bringing peace to both Ukraine and to Gaza," she said of Mr Martin's trip to Washington.
Five decades of relations
Diplomatic relations between Ireland and the UAE were established in late 1974, only a few years after the Emirates was formed. Events to mark the 50th year included a celebration of Irish design last month and a high-level business suhoor, while a gala dinner is planned in Dubai for April 10. A trade mission from Ireland could also take place later this year.
“There are 70 million people around the world who consider themselves to be of Irish descent, despite the fact that we come from a country of five million,” she said. “This is a moment when we remember what it is to be Irish.”
For Ms Milton, the first female ambassador to the UAE, being at the helm as Ireland and the UAE mark five decades of diplomatic relations is a huge moment.
“It is fantastic. What an honour," she said. "I'm so lucky to have such a strong team who are working to put this region, the Gulf, really into the hearts and minds of Irish policymakers. The role of the Gulf is so important to our future prosperity and stability globally.”