United Nations – Meeting between Jean-Yves Le Drian and the director-general of UNESCO (22.02.19)

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Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, met today with Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The minister reaffirmed France’s full support for UNESCO, whose action in the areas of education, culture and the protection of heritage makes a significant contribution to the UN’s vision of peace.

Jean-Yves Le Drian expressed our determination to work in close cooperation on the priorities that France promotes at UNESCO. In particular:

  • he announced that France had decided to increase its voluntary contribution to UNESCO to €5 million in 2019 to support programs and projects related to the education of girls and Africa;
  • he indicated that, within the framework of the G7 presidency, he would co-chair a joint meeting of development and education ministers on July 5 and that an international conference on girls’ access to education would take place at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris; UNESCO is the lead agency for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4;
  • he confirmed that France would take part in the international conference to be hosted by UNESCO on March 4 on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.