Under African skies - Ambassador Nicola Brennan's journey from Newbridge to Tanzania

Newbridge native Nicola Brennan talks to Niamh O'Donoghue about her busy but fulfilling career in the diplomatic service

Despite Covid, conflict, and climate change inducing floods and droughts in recent years, Ethiopia has endured and endeavoured to thrive. After four years as Irish Ambassador to the African country, it's clear that Newbridge native, Nicola Brennan's love of this unique place is as strong as ever.

As she prepared to take up her new role as Irish Ambassador to Tanzania last August, the County Kildare woman reflected on her time in Ethiopia, and the new chapter ahead.

“We left for Ethiopia at the end of August 2020, that was when you had to quarantine for two weeks. We did it in our house, so it wasn't too bad. You could say it was an adventure. The restrictions weren't as strict as they were in Ireland at the time,” said Nicola.

Based at the embassy in the capital, Addis Ababa, it was hard to get things up and running at first.
“You couldn't get out and about, You couldn't have back to back meetings, an awful lot of the immediate contact with people was done online. That was quite hard. It was okay for initial work relations in terms of getting things done, but it was equally difficult. We had to ensure the whole of Ethiopia was served as well as the main areas with masks, ventilators and equipment. It was difficult, but the embassy staff had a really good network in place.”

In addition, Ireland took up a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2021 and 2022, where Nicola got the opportunity to engage with the African Union, which is equivalent to the European Union with 55 countries represented, as well as the UN. She stressed this access was hugely beneficial.

Initially, the Covid restrictions also impacted on her family's ability to make connections on a social and personal level.
Her husband, Professor Ruairí Brugha, a public health specialist with the Royal College of Surgeons, was prominent as an expert commentator on the pandemic, and her son, Louis. was also embracing this new adventure.

With 120 million people in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Djibouti, Nicola had a huge region to oversee.
A war also erupted in North Ethiopia in November 2020. That was a tough time politically, a sensitive time. Things settled down after the peace agreement was signed in November 2022.

Before Nicola finished her term, she had a visit from Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin last July. He met the Prime Minister and President of Ethiopia and other senior cabinet ministers as well as dropping in to see some of the programmes run by Irish Aid.

That was one of the highlights of Nicola's time in Ethiopia.
“It ended on a high. I've made a huge number of friends and colleagues. Our son was born in Ethiopia so we have big connections. He was four years in school there, and he has made lots of friends and we will definitely be coming back because of the personal connection. It's actually only a two and a half hour flight from Tanzania,” explained Nicola.
When she initially took up the position, she had committed to four years in Ethiopia.

As the Newbridge native was coming to the end of her term, she had a choice to apply for other posts as an ambassador, or return to work in Dublin in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
When the post for Tanzania came up, Nicola decided to go for it, it was approved, and she was bound for Africa again.

“My whole career has been in central Africa, and development and diplomacy. The population of Tanzania is 70m so it's not as big as Ethiopia. It's an amazing country, and we are aiming to develop and grow trading links with Ireland.”

Kerry Group PLC opened up a new manufacturing facility in Dar es Salaam last year. There is also the Newbridge connection with Irish Ropes, which became world-famous during the 1950s and 1960s for its Curragh Tintawn carpets. It sourced sisal from Kenya and Tanzania — the fibrous plant used before the introduction of polypropylene plastic to create rope and twine.
She outlines how Tanzania, which is a stable country, is broadly evolving and developing all the time. Having this time opted for a three year term, the couple plan to have Louis back in Ireland for Transition Year, to give him time to settle in Ireland.
Louis speaks the local dialect very well and really loved his time in Ethiopia.

Nicola's husband also plans to continue his work from abroad. There are a lot of connections between HSE and Tanzania and capacity for training between Crumlin Hospital and a children's cancer hospital there. Professor Brugha will also continue to mentor and work with his PHD students.

The added bonus of living on the Indian Ocean is also a hugely attractive prospect as well as the countless Safari Parks on the doorstep. One of the key tenets of Nicola's work in Ethiopia was giving the role of women and girls a higher profile in promoting access to education and employment.

Looking to Northern Ireland, she used the experience of giving Irish women a voice during the troubles to fuel her ambition to allow the women in North East Ethiopia the same opportunities.

“In recent times in Ireland, not that long ago, women were not given the same opportunities as men. We didn't recognise the contribution they made to their community and country. People campaigned for a voice in Ireland, there is a lot of experience there that we can share and give women a platform,” added Nicola.

Other areas, which also come under the embassy are Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Seychelles, which is quite a breath of land.

East DRC is a very conflicted area.

“Ethiopia was my very first role as an ambassador. It was such an honour, I know people say that, but to be your country's representative in that country is amazing. I would like to thank all my colleagues, staff and friends,” she said.
“We are a small country but we are regarded as being strong in our passion and values.”

Nicola aims to work closely with the Tanzanian Government, UN and NGOs on gender equality, governance and human rights, peace and security, and on addressing humanitarian need.
“We have a particular priority focus on advancing the rights of women and girls, recognising that they are often left behind in the development process.”

Nicola is the daughter of Margaret and the late Denis Brennan from Great Connell, and a former past pupil of St Conleth’s and the Holy Family Secondary School. After studying Economics and Business Studies at Trinity College, she undertook a Higher Diploma in Education with the intention of becoming a teacher. Yet after graduating she went to Indonesia with the charity Voluntary Service Overseas — a decision which completely changed her career path.

Having spent seven years in Indonesia, Jakarta and Papua New Guinea, Nicola became interested in pursuing a career in international development. With a Masters degree in Development Administration and Management at the University of Manchester under her belt, she joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1996.

Postings followed at the Irish embassies in South Africa and Uganda, where Nicola worked as a development specialist; after which she spent a period back home as a senior adviser on Ireland’s international response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
In a previous interview with the Leinster Leader, Nicola outlined; “At that time the Irish Government took a very key position internationally on the AIDS pandemic, and we were recognised as quite a leader in that field, even though we are quite a small country.”

A posting as the deputy head of mission at the Irish embassy in Zambia followed in 2010. As the Department of Foreign Affairs’ director of international development policy in the development cooperation and Africa Division, she lead the Irish government’s new policy on international development, called A Better World. With such a wealth of experience, there is no doubt Nicola will give her role in Tanzania the same energy, drive and determination.