Foreign Affairs

Ambassadors to the North Atlantic Council visit France’s Istres strategic air base (7 Mar. 2025)

On 6 March 2025, Ambassadors to the North Atlantic Council visited France's Istres strategic air base, alongside NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska. Participants received briefings on France's nuclear deterrent from Commanders of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS), Strategic Oceanic Force (FOST) and Naval Nuclear Air Force (FANU). The visit's various steps showed the credibility of France's airborne component, and that of its nuclear deterrent as a whole, which is strategic (…)

Updated: Fri Mar 07 2025

Event dedicated to attracting international organisations to Paris Region (5 Mar. 2025)

On Tuesday 4 March, Laurent Saint Martin, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, brought together international organisations operating in the Paris Region in the presence of Alexandra Dublanche, Vice-President of the Paris Region. The event was organised in partnership with Choose Paris Region, Paris-Île de France Capitale Économique, Business France and the Agence Française de Développement group. It was an opportunity to highlight the attractiveness of France, and (…)

Updated: Fri Mar 07 2025

International Women’s Day - France launches its international strategy for a feminist foreign policy (7 Mar. 2025)

On this International Women's Day, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed our priority focus on women's rights by launching the first international strategy for a feminist foreign policy (2025-2030). Developed through a participatory process involving more than 200 national and international partners, this strategy sets a clear and ambitious course to place women's rights and equality at the heart of our foreign policy and reaffirms its basic priorities: defending (…)

Updated: Fri Mar 07 2025

Israel/Palestinian Territories - Gaza reconstruction plan adopted by the Arab League (6 Mar. 2025)

France hails the proposed Gaza reconstruction plan formulated by the Arab League countries at the Cairo summit on March 4. This plan offers a serious, credible basis for immediately meeting reconstruction, governance and security needs in the aftermath of the war in Gaza. It guarantees the respect of international law and maintains Gaza's future within the framework of a future Palestinian State. This plan must entirely exclude Hamas from the governance of Gaza, where it must be disarmed, (…)

Updated: Fri Mar 07 2025

Syria/Chemical weapons - Upcoming deployment of an OPCW technical team (6 Mar. 2025)

France thanks the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for its 10-plus years of tireless effort to shed light on the Bashar al-Assad regime's chemical program and the chemical attacks against the Syrian people for which he has been found responsible. France is pleased by the progress that has been made on this issue, which must have concrete implications. In line with President Macron's remarks during his conversation with the Interim President of the Transition (…)

Updated: Fri Mar 07 2025

Israel/Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian access in Gaza (5 Mar. 2025)

We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom recall our continued support for the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It is vital that the ceasefire is sustained, all the hostages are released, and continued flows of humanitarian aid to Gaza are ensured. We urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the deal to help ensure its full implementation and a permanent end to hostilities. We welcome Egyptian, Qatari and US efforts in (…)

Updated: Wed Mar 05 2025

Guyana - Situation off the coast of Essequibo (3 Mar. 2025)

France expresses its concern over the March 1st incursion by a Venezuelan Coast Guard patrol ship in Guyana's Exclusive Economic Zone near the Stabroak Block oil reservoir. France calls on Venezuela to respect Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the principles of international law and the order issued by the International Court of Justice on December 1, 2023, stating that it must refrain from any unilateral action liable to alter the situation that currently exists off the coast (…)

Updated: Mon Mar 03 2025

Russia - Tenth anniversary of the assassination of Boris Nemtsov (27 Feb. 2025)

Today, February 27, France pays homage to the opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who was brutally assassinated near the Kremlin in Moscow in 2015. His courage and his tireless fight for democracy and fundamental freedoms, which serve as a source of inspiration for many Russians and non-Russians alike, resonate more than ever at a time of growing repression of the opposition, civil society and independent media in Russia. Ten years after Nemtsov's death, the individuals who ordered his (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 28 2025

Samoa - Opening of the French Embassy (28 Feb. 2025)

For the first time since 2011, France has had the pleasure of opening a new embassy in its network, in Samoa in February 2025. This new embassy increases France's sizeable diplomatic network in the region, alongside our five existing bilateral embassies in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and the action carried out by Véronique Roger-Lacan, the regional ambassador, Permanent Secretary for the Pacific. Above all, this is our first embassy in the Polynesia area and thus (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 28 2025

Samoa - Opening of the French Embassy (28 Feb. 2025)

For the first time since 2011, France has had the pleasure of opening a new embassy in its network, in Samoa in February 2025. This new embassy increases France's sizeable diplomatic network in the region, alongside our five existing bilateral embassies in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and the action carried out by Véronique Roger-Lacan, the regional ambassador, Permanent Secretary for the Pacific. Above all, this is our first embassy in the Polynesia area and thus (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 28 2025

Syria - National Dialogue Conference (27 Feb. 2025)

France takes positive note of the organization of a National Dialogue Conference in Damascus on February 24 and 25. This constitutes the first step toward establishing a culture of dialogue for all Syrians. France notes the announcement of plans to create a representative legislative council, adopt a constitutional declaration for the transition period, and create a constitutional committee tasked with drafting the future constitution. France recalls its commitment to the principles (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 28 2025

Thailand - Deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China (28 Feb. 2025)

France deeply regrets the Thai authorities' decision – despite the representations we made with our European partners – to deport 40 members of the Uyghur community to China. This decision is contrary to the principle of non-refoulement and to Thailand's international commitments. France reiterates its commitment to the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties around the (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 28 2025

Israel/Palestinian Territories - Death of Ohad Yahalomi (27 Feb. 2025)

France was deeply saddened to learn of the death of our compatriot Ohad Yahalomi, following the return of his remains to the Israeli authorities by Hamas. It extends its sincerest condolences to his family and close friends, with a special thought for his son Eitan, released in November 2023 after 51 days in captivity. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' teams are in close contact with our compatriot's family to support them in this ordeal. France lost 50 of its nationals following (…)

Updated: Thu Feb 27 2025

Israel / Palestinian Territories - Israeli operations in the West Bank (26 Feb. 2025)

France expresses its concern over stepped up Israeli military operations in the Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas camps in the northern West Bank, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties. France calls on the Israeli authorities to exercise the utmost restraint in the use of force and to ensure the protection of civilian populations, in accordance with international humanitarian law. These operations have reportedly already resulted in the displacement of 40,000 Palestinians. France (…)

Updated: Wed Feb 26 2025

Photo exhibition “STAND WITH UKRAINE. France's humanitarian action in Ukraine” (24 Feb. 2025)

The photo exhibition “STAND WITH UKRAINE. France's humanitarian action in Ukraine” will be on display in Paris on the railings of the Quai d'Orsay from 24 February 2025. The names of the people presented in this exhibition are Ievgeniia, Diana, Serhii and Yuliia. Their lives have been affected by the war and its devastation. Uprooting, precarity, family separations and obstacles to health care and education have deteriorated their living conditions and physical and mental health, and (…)

Updated: Wed Feb 26 2025

United Nations - Ukraine - Resolutions adopted at the United Nations General Assembly at the three-year mark of the war

On 24 February 2025, three years to the day since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the General Assembly of the United Nations expressed its support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity by adopting two successive resolutions that reaffirm these principles and the primacy of international law. It called for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the Charter of the United Nations. As it has steadfastly done for three years, France (…)

Updated: Tue Feb 25 2025

Work of the France-Cameroon Multidisciplinary Joint Committee (5 Feb. 2025)

The France-Cameroon Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on the role and commitment of France and Cameroon in combating separatist and opposition movements between 1945 and 1971 submitted its work to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, at a handover ceremony in two phases, beginning in Paris on 21 January 2025 and ending in Yaoundé on 28 January. This Committee was co-chaired by French researcher Karine Ramondy and (…)

Updated: Tue Feb 25 2025

Russia - Q&A (24.02.25)

Q : What is the Quai d'Orsay's reaction following the launching of projectiles at the Russian Consulate General in Marseille? A : France condemns all attacks on the security of diplomatic premises. These premises are protected by the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations that France is strongly committed to fully implementing. The inviolability, protection and integrity of diplomatic and consular premises, as well as their personnel, are fundamental principles of (…)

Updated: Mon Feb 24 2025

Sentencing of Laurent Vinatier by Russian authorities (24.02.25)

On October 14, 2024, French citizen Laurent Vinatier was arbitrarily sentenced to three years in prison for not having registered as a “foreign agent.” On February 24, this extremely severe sentence was upheld on appeal on the basis of legislation against supposed “foreign agents.” On October 22, the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment stating that this legislation contributes to the systematic violation of fundamental freedoms in Russia, such as freedom of association, freedom of (…)

Updated: Mon Feb 24 2025

China - Q&A - Extract from the press briefing (21 Feb. 2025)

Q: During a live broadcast yesterday, President Macron said: “You who don't want China to challenge Taiwan or others – how do you explain that China doesn't have the right to invade Taiwan but Russia has the right to invade Ukraine ?” In that regard, can you tell us if the French government still recognizes UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, particularly with regard to support for the “One China” principle? And how should we understand the President's use of the word “invade,” in this context (…)

Updated: Fri Feb 21 2025

Iran - Death penalty (20 Feb. 2025)

France utterly condemns the 975 executions that took place in Iran in 2024. These executions are the symbol of the ruthless crackdown against all those who dare express the Iranian people's legitimate aspirations for freedom. France and its partners call on the Iranian authorities to put an end to these executions and death sentences. France reaffirms its opposition to the death penalty in all places and in all (…)

Updated: Thu Feb 20 2025

Israel / Palestinian Territories - Hamas returns the bodies of four Israeli hostages (20 Feb. 2025)

France witnessed today's return to Israel of the remains of Oded Lifshitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, with overwhelming sadness. We offer our heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones. We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the families of all the hostages and with the people of Israel in the wake of the barbaric acts committed by Hamas in the worst anti-Semitic massacre since the Holocaust. Our thoughts go out in particular to the loved ones of our (…)

Updated: Thu Feb 20 2025

Lebanon - Withdrawal of Israeli defence forces from southern Lebanon (18 Feb. 2025)

France notes the continued withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces from southern Lebanon. It is an important step in implementing the commitments made under the cessation of hostilities concluded between Lebanon and Israel on 26 November 2024. France notes that the Israel Defence Forces maintain a presence at five positions on Lebanese territory. It reiterates the need for a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Lebanese territory as soon as possible, in accordance with the (…)

Updated: Wed Feb 19 2025

United States - M. Jean-Noël Barrot’s meeting with his counterpart (18 Feb. 2025)

Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, spoke to Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State. Their counterparts in the Quint (Italy, Germany, United Kingdom) and the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, also participated in the discussion. They talked about today's meeting in Saudi Arabia between the US Secretary of State and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Following on from the discussions between US President Donald Trump and French (…)

Updated: Wed Feb 19 2025