Ambassador Austin Gormley

A warm Welcome to the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa.

Céad Míle Fáilte!

This page is regularly updated with information on consular services, visas, business opportunities, cultural initiatives, and Embassy partner engagements and activities. It aims to provide clear guidance while helping you gain an understanding of Ireland’s partnerships in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Mauritius.

Over the past couple of years, I have travelled widely within South Africa and the region and have met many partners. I have been privileged to see at first-hand the richness and breadth of our bilateral relationship.

The strength of the relationship and our consistent engagement across Africa over many decades was reflected in the invitation extended by South Africa to Ireland to be a guest country at the G20 in 2025. We are honoured and proud to be part of this important Presidency to promote solidarity, equality and sustainability internationally.

Our shared history is deep-rooted, with Irish people having been part of this vibrant region for centuries, including missionaries who worked tirelessly in the social sectors here. This history laid the foundation of our enduring ties, built on shared values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and social justice.

Ireland played a pivotal role during the anti-apartheid struggle, galvanizing international support for sanctions and providing refuge to many South Africans, including the esteemed Professor Kader Asmal, whose legacy continues to inspire our efforts. Today, our countries collaborate strongly within multilateral forums such as the United Nations, where both Ireland and South Africa have recently served on the Security Council. Our commitment to human rights, universal values and multilateralism underpins our cooperation on global challenges.

People-to-people links remain vibrant, with a large Irish diaspora in South Africa and extensive business, sporting, and family ties. The Embassy is proud to serve this community through consular assistance, cultural programming, and business networking. I encourage you to register with the Embassy to stay connected and informed.

Economic and trade relations form a key pillar of our partnership. We actively support business networking through Business Ireland South Africa (BISA) and assist Irish companies operating locally. Enterprise Ireland’s Cape Town office, alongside IDA Ireland and Bord Bia, provides invaluable support and expertise. We are also excited to nurture innovative collaboration between young South African and Irish technology entrepreneurs, notably through the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa programme.

Education and skills development remain central to our cooperation. The Irish Fellowship Programme offers early-career professionals from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Mauritius the opportunity for masters-level study in Ireland. South Africans can apply for the fellowship under the Kader Asmal Fellowship programme. Our academic collaborations continue to deepen, illustrated by initiatives such as the Maxeke-Robinson Studies Chair jointly hosted by the University of the Western Cape and Trinity College Dublin. Advances in technology have further enriched these partnerships, allowing creative and scholarly exchanges to flourish.

The Embassy’s accreditation to Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Lesotho, Botswana, and engagements with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) reflects our commitment to strengthening ties across the region. Irish citizens living here, together with the vibrant Irish diaspora associations, religious organisations, and NGOs, play a vital role in this Mission. I look forward to continuing to build these close partnerships and further exploring the remarkable diversity of this beautiful part of the world.

Please stay in touch with us through our Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram social media channels. Should you have any suggestions or queries, do not hesitate to contact us here.

With best wishes,

Austin Gormley
Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa, accredited to Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius and Zimbabwe.