Aidan O'Hara | |
|---|---|
| European Union Ambassador to Sudan | |
| Assumed office 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Robert van den Dool |
| Irish Ambassador to Djibouti | |
| In office 2016–2020 | |
| Preceded by | Adam Kułach |
| Irish Ambassador to Ethiopia | |
| In office 2012–2016 | |
| Succeeded by | Sonja Hyland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 June 1964 [1] Dublin,Ireland |
Aidan O'Hara (born June 11,1964) is an Irish diplomat currently serving as European Union Ambassador to Sudan. [2] O'Hara was the Irish ambassador to Ethiopia from 2012 to 2016. In 2022,he assumed control as EU Ambassador to Sudan. [3] He presented his credentials on 12 April 2022 to the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council,Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. [4]
O'Hara was born on 11 June 1964 in Dublin,Ireland. [1] He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in legal science from Trinity College Dublin and later received a barrister at law degree from Kings Inns. [5]
From 2012 to 2016 he was the Irish ambassador to Ethiopia. [5] During his time as ambassador to Ethiopia,he helped facilitate money for the assistance of Ethiopian migrants returning from Saudi Arabia. [6] He was replaced by Sonja Hyland in this post,who also took on the missions of Djibouti,South Sudan,and the African Union. [7] Following his tenure as ambassador,he served as Director of Policy Planning at the Department of Foreign Affairs and also as Director of the European Division [5] From 2019 to 2022 he was the Ambassador of the European Union to Djibouti and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. [5] He announced during his term that he wanted to strengthen cooperation projects between the EU and Djibouti like those on child development and equality for women in the country. [8]
Since 2022 he has been the European Union's Ambassador to Sudan. [3] On 17 April 2023,he was reportedly assaulted at his home in Khartoum amid the ongoing civil conflict and battle over the city. [9] He later explained that the group who attacked him were searching for cash and mobile phones. Although he wasn't injured in the initial incident,he was attacked again during his evacuation through a Sudanese airbase,during which a member of his convoy was wounded.