Brussels, 25/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - Africa will be one of the Irish Presidency's priorities during its sixth months at the Head of the EU Council beginning in January 2004. Brian Cowan, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs confirmed this to Pretoria during a visit to South Africa. According to AFP, the Irish Minister announced the granting of EUR 300,000 to the Nepad secretariat (New Partnership for African Development) to support this African initiative. He also appealed for the resolution of the problem in Zimbabwe "through dialogue and mutual respect", insisting on the importance that Ireland attached to the EU/Africa summit, cancelled last April. (EUROPE 20 November p 6 on the subject of the Irish President, Mary Robinson's speech to the European Parliament).