On March 11, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot hosted his Emirati counterpart, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Paris.
The two ministers praised the outstanding strategic partnership between France and the UAE, rooted in more than 50 years of friendship. They underscored their shared desire to deepen this partnership in every area, including artificial intelligence, following the signing of a joint framework agreement during a visit to Paris by the Emirati President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on February 6. The two ministers emphasized their desire to strengthen bilateral judicial cooperation, particularly in the fight against drug traffickers. They discussed our cooperation on major global challenges ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, to be held in Nice this June, and the UN Water Conference, which the UAE and Senegal will co-chair in 2026.
The two ministers addressed several regional and international crises. Mr. Barrot reaffirmed France's determination to step up its support for Ukraine in Russia's war of aggression and to work for a just, comprehensive, lasting peace based on solid security guarantees for Ukraine.
They also reiterated their shared desire to work toward the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all the hostages, and the achievement of a lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
In addition, they discussed the situation in Syria and the importance of supporting a just, inclusive political transition that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people and respects the rights of all Syrians. They reiterated their very strong condemnation of the serious violence that took place in northwestern Syria in the past few days and underscored the importance of thoroughly investigating these crimes and punishing their perpetrators.
Lastly, the two ministers stressed the need to find a resolution to the conflict in Sudan, which is experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.