Foreign Affairs

Informal Meeting of European Ministers Responsible for Space (16 Feb. 2022)

The informal meeting of European Ministers responsible for Space, hosted on 16 February 2022 in Toulouse, France, will cover an array of space issues, including treating space as critical connectivity infrastructure for the economy, developing common rules for space traffic, and leveraging space to fight climate change, improve scientific research and expand space exploration capabilities. This event will open in the morning with an informal meeting of the Competitiveness Council of the (...)

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Launch of the Business Diplomacy Meetings (15 Feb. 2022)

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is launching a series of virtual business meetings with France's ambassadors throughout the world and French businesses. This initiative is part of France's business diplomacy efforts and aims to strengthen our diplomatic posts' relationship with French businesses. These webinars will allow businesses of all sizes, from the smallest to the very largest, to make direct contact with French ambassadors in order to discuss business opportunities in the (...)

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Hawaii Disaster Declaration

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, and landslides during the period of December 5 to December 10, 2021. Federal funding is available to state and...

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Readout of President Biden's Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Emmanuel Macron of France. They reviewed their recent conversations with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, and affirmed their continued support for a diplomatic path forward. They discussed ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts undertaken in close coordination with Allies and partners in response to Russia's military buildup...

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Remarks by President Biden Providing an Update on Russia and Ukraine

East Room 3:29 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. Today, I'd like to provide an update on the crisis involving Russia and Ukraine. From the beginning of this crisis, I have been absolutely clear and consistent: The United States is prepared no matter what happens. We are ready with diplomacy - to be engaged in...

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Statement from President Joe Biden on Sandy Hook Settlement

Today, the families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting have secured a historic settlement with the gun manufacturer Remington. While this settlement does not erase the pain of that tragic day, it does begin the necessary work of holding gun manufacturers accountable for manufacturing weapons of war and irresponsibly marketing these...

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Tribute to Mireille Delmas-Marty (15 Feb. 2022)

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs pays tribute to the memory of Mireille Delmas-Marty, a visionary legal expert who made a significant contribution to the promotion of human rights and individual liberties as universal values under international law. Professor Mireille Delmas-Marty had held a Chair in Comparative Legal Studies and the Internationalization of Law at the Collège de France since 2002. She was the recipient of honorary doctorates awarded by eight international (...)

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Ukraine - Q&A (15 Feb. 2022)

Q: With regard to Ukraine, do we have any idea how many French citizens might still be in Ukraine, and how many would like to leave the country and have contacted the consulate? Is the consulate in Kiev still operational? A: The number of French nationals in a foreign country at any given time is always approximate. It includes the French nationals who live in the country and those who are passing through. Those who have been living in the country for more than six months can approach the (...)

Updated: Tue Feb 15 2022

Afghanistan - Q&A (14 Feb. 2022)

Q: 1) Are there plans to carry out additional evacuation flights from Afghanistan in the near future? If so, how many potential passengers have you identified and how would you characterize them? 2) Many of those who were evacuated during the August airlift arrived in France alone or without all of their family members (spouses, children) because of the chaotic departure conditions. Will France show particular empathy when it studies their family reunification cases? A: 1 - Before the (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces 10 Million Households Enroll in Broadband Affordability Program, Thanks to

Announcement made during White House event with Vice President Kamala Harris, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu Today, during a White House event with Vice President Harris, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, and Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing more than 10 million households are enrolled in...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Celebrates First Anniversary of the Reestablishment of the White House Office of Fait

Partnerships have helped heal, unite, and rebuild, with expanded collaborations expected in the year ahead A year ago today, President Biden signed an executive order reestablishing the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and urged the Office to "work with leaders of different faiths and backgrounds who are the frontlines of their communities...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Global health - France and the WHO announce a new agreement to reinforce health systems to combat Covid-19 (11 Feb. 2022)

France and the World Health Organization (WHO) have announced a new ?50 million contribution agreement that will help countries' health systems overcome bottlenecks in the Covid-19 response and speed up equitable access to testing, treatments and vaccines. The agreement, which was publicly disclosed on the sidelines of the ministerial conference of foreign ministers and health ministers in Lyon, France, aims to support the work of WHO and the co-conveners of the Health Systems and Response (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Informal meeting of the Trade Ministers of the European Union (13-14 Feb. 2022)

The Informal meeting of the Trade Ministers of the European Union is an opportunity for open, strategic discussions on the EU's trade policy priorities. It is held in Marseille on 13-14 February 2022. Figures: in 2020, the EU's trade totalled ?3.646 trillion, making the Union the world's second largest trading power. Within the EU, 38 million jobs depend on European exports, including more than 4 million in France. In accordance with its priorities, focused on the implementation of an open, (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Iran - JCPoA - Q&A (11 Feb. 2022)

Q: On January 28, negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal were paused because the final stage of negotiations requires political decisions, according to the chief E3 negotiators. Since negotiations began again this week, do you have confirmation that these decisions have been made or do the hurdles remain the same? A: On February 8, discussions began again in Vienna after negotiators briefly returned to their capitals for consultations. Given the timeline, it is more urgent now than ever (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Press Briefing by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 3:34 P.M. EST MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hey. Good afternoon, all. Q Hello. MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Happy Valentine's Day or Galentine's Day - whatever you celebrate. Hope everyone had a restful - a restful time after a big game last night. I can attest, here from the podium, there were some very...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Press Release: Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Philip S. Goldberg, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea. Carrin F. Patman, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Readout of President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. The leaders discussed their recent diplomatic engagements with Ukraine and Russia. They also reviewed ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts in response to Russia's continued military build-up on Ukraine's borders and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. They...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Readout of White House Discussions with Conservation Leaders on $1.5 billion Investment and Implementation of the Bipartisan

Today, Senior Advisor and White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and other senior administration officials, including Sarah Greenberger the Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of Interior, discussed how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will build a better America by investing in the conservation of and access to our public lands. Landrieu outlined the President's...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Remarks by Vice President Harris on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

South Court AuditoriumEisenhower Executive Office Building 2:56 P.M. EST THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much, Llulisa. I - it is part of the reason that we are so excited about this effort - it is because it's about investing in the future our nation, and that means investing in our future leaders and our...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Saudi Arabia - France strongly condemns the drone attack on the Abha airport (11 Feb. 2022)

France condemns in the strongest terms yesterday's Houthi attack on the Abha airport in southern Saudi Arabia, which injured several civilians. This attack, like the previous attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, threaten regional stability and confirm the gravity of the threat to the entire region that is posed by the proliferation of drones and missiles as well as the need to respond with regional political dialogue. France has reiterated its call for de-escalation (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Statement by President Biden Four Years After the Parkland Shooting

On February 14th, 2018, a gunman stole the lives of 14 students and 3 educators at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It was the deadliest high school shooting in a nation with far too many of them, and it left another community - and our country - shattered by grief. On this...

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022

Ukraine - Q&A - (11 Feb. 2022)

Q: Yesterday, the American authorities called on American citizens to leave Ukraine. Are the French authorities planning to make a similar request of French citizens in Ukraine? Generally speaking, what is your assessment of the situation in Ukraine? A: We are monitoring the situation with the utmost vigilance. We continue to work in close cooperation with all of our partners, especially those in (...)

Updated: Mon Feb 14 2022