EU – Jean-Yves Le Drian attending Foreign Affairs Council (15 Oct. 2018)

Share

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will attend the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on October 15.

  • Libya. The ministers will discuss the situation in Libya after the ministerial meeting held at France’s behest on September 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and ahead of the Palermo conference that Italy will host on November 12-13, and which France supports. Mr. Le Drian will stress the importance of implementing the priorities identified at the ministerial meeting in New York: support for the mediation effort by the UN secretary-general’s special representative, Ghassan Salamé; backing for Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj; sanctions against those who obstruct the political process; and the need to move forward as swiftly as possible toward transparent, peaceful, well-prepared elections, in line with the Paris conference.
  • CAR. At France’s request and amid the growing influence of foreign actors, the ministers will discuss the situation in the Central African Republic. The minister will call for strengthened EU action alongside that of the African Union, the countries in the region and the UN, to support the country’s stabilization and the restoration of State authority. This will include support for Central African domestic security forces in addition to the EU’s already considerably support for the Central African armed forces via EUTM RCA. All European partners must mobilize to help this country.
  • Migration. The ministers will discuss the external aspects of migration, following up on the European Council of June 28 and ahead of the European Council of October 18, at which this issue will again be discussed. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Grandi, and the new director general of the International Organization for Migration, Mr. Vitorino, will take part in these discussions. The minister will restate the fact that a European response, which must be responsible and characterized by solidarity, is essential to respond to migratory challenges. He will call for strengthening cooperation with third countries as part of a comprehensive approach to migration and for shared responsibility between countries of origin, transit and destination. Capacity-building in third countries, the fight against human trafficking, a European commitment to resettlement, cooperation on readmission, as well as the long-term need for an ambitious partnership between the EU and Africa, will be among the topics discussed. France will also reaffirm the importance of European nations’ support for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which will be adopted in Marrakech this December.
  • Venezuela. The ministers will discuss the situation in that country and the EU’s response to the political, economic and migratory crisis Venezuela is experiencing. The minister will ask the EU to maintain its firm stance toward attacks on fundamental rights and its active support for a negotiated solution in coordination with international and regional partners.
  • At France’s initiative, the Council will adopt a European sanctions regime against proliferation and the use of chemical weapons.