European Union - Jean-Yves Le Drian’s participation in the Foreign Affairs Council (Brussels, 13 May 2019)

The ministers will discuss the following points:

• Libya: The ministers will discuss the country’s political and security situation, in the context of clashes around Tripoli. They will examine ways in which the EU can support the efforts of Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya Ghassan Salamé, who will take part in the discussions. France will reaffirm the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities and reaffirm its full support for Ghassan Salamé’s efforts to secure a ceasefire and to relaunch the political process.

• Sahel: The ministers will prepare for the joint meeting between the EU foreign and defense ministers and their counterparts from the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad) on May 14. The discussion will focus on the response to the continuation of a very challenging security situation, notably in Burkina Faso and central Mali. France will call on the EU and its member states to maintain their commitment to the Sahel and to support the deployment by the G5 states of their security forces throughout their territory.

• the ministers will have an exchange of views on Venezuela following the third meeting of the International Contact Group in San José on May 6 and 7, as well as on Iran, in the troubling context of the recent announcements by Iran and the United States.

The Foreign Affairs Council meeting will be preceded by the annual Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers meeting; the Eastern Partnership is an initiative which provides a framework for the eastern dimension of the EU neighborhood policy with six Eastern European and Caucasian partners (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) and which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The discussions will notably focus on the themes of youth, innovation and culture.