Your Excellency, the President of the Region of Tigray,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to begin by thanking you, Your Excellency, for the warm welcome you have extended today to me, to my wife Sabina, and to our delegation, including our Minister of State for Development, Trade Promotion and North-South Co-operation, Seán Sherlock T.D.  I also want to thank you for the generous hospitality you have afforded us. It is greatly…