Digital diplomacy – Launch of the Russian-language version of the France Diplomatie website and Twitter account (9 February 2018)

These new communication tools are targeted at almost 300 million Russian speakers around the work, who will be able to experience, in their language, the diversity our diplomatic, cultural and economic relations and learn first-hand about France, its appeal and strengths. On this occasion, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, wanted to send a message of welcome to Russian-speaking internet users (see below).

Russian has now become the sixth France Diplomatie language, after Spanish and English in 2012, followed by Arabic and German in 2013. More concise versions are also available in Chinese and Japanese. We are the only foreign ministry in the world to communicate in so many languages.

The development of our digital diplomacy and our communication through social networks is a priority for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Our social media audiences are constantly expanding, with in particular more than a million followers on our French Twitter account, which has been active since 2007. Our foreign language accounts have been active since 2010 in English, since 2012 in Spanish, since 2014 in Arabic and since 2017 in German.

Message from Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic

"Dear friends,

Here we have the new Russian version of the French Foreign Ministry’s website, France Diplomatie. It was created for all of you; you belong to the nearly 300 million people around the world who speak this language that we appreciate so much in France.

The goal of this site is to allow you to discover the France of today, a welcoming country that engages in the world.

You are already familiar with its culture, its heritage, its cuisine, and its art of living which attract visitors from all over the world every year. There were 89 million visitors in 2017. We are continuing our efforts to make it easier for you to experience France, for example by issuing visas within 48 hours when conditions allow, by ensuring your safety and your comfort, and by upgrading our infrastructure.

France is also a country of innovation and creativity and is a frontrunner with regard to respect for the environment.

Close to 300,000 international students come to France to train in many areas: science, engineering, business, culture and the arts.

Every week, 21 foreign firms choose to invest in France: Nearly 25,000 foreign firms are based in our country. The number of start-ups is rapidly expanding, notably in the digital and environmental fields, in a country where a business can be started in three and a half days.

Many international and European organizations and institutions, such as UNESCO have their headquarters in France. We also have a long tradition of hosting major international events, including sporting events such as the Olympic Games, due to be hosted in Paris in 2024.

Beyond France itself, this site aims to share with you the vision that we have for the world, notably through our diplomatic efforts. France would like to help resolve the serious crises threatening the global and European equilibrium. And they are considerable: with respect to climate change, by implementing the Paris Climate Agreement, which is crucial to the future of our planet; in the Sahel and elsewhere, by continuing the relentless fight against the terrorist threat; in Europe, by re-founding an EU that better responds to citizens’ expectations, as proposed by President Macron; in Syria, by helping to put an end to a terrible war and finding a political solution in accordance with the UN Security Council decisions; and lastly in Ukraine, by helping to implement the Minsk agreements restoring Ukrainian sovereignty and by creating the conditions for reconciliation with Russia.

In the face of these challenges, my country is proposing solutions, working with its partners and trying to obtain the broadest possible support for achieving the goal of a world that is just, free and at peace.

I hope you will enjoy exploring our France Diplomatie site and I look forward to seeing you on our Russian Twitter account!”

Jean-Yves Le Drian