South Africa – Visit by Catherine Colonna (June 19-20, 2023)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna will be visiting South Africa on June 19 and 20.

She will meet with her South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, three weeks after their last meeting in Paris. The ministers will review the war in Ukraine and its consequences. They will talk about the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, which will be held in Paris on June 22 and 23, and will address the most important international challenges on which our two countries are working together, such as climate and health, The ministers will discuss ways to continue cooperation between our two countries, particularly in the vital areas of business, the climate, young people, athletics and education.

They will also discuss the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) This partnership, which was launched at the COP26 and is supported and financed by France, aims to help decarbonize the South African energy mix and contribute to a just energy transition.

During her visit, the minister will meet with South African Campus France alumni, who can testify to the many exchange programs between our two countries. She will inaugurate the new premises of the Institut Français in South Africa, which is currently displaying the collections of the latest Paris Fashion Week.

She will also meet with representatives of the French community in South Africa as well as the heads of French companies located there. French companies’ investments in South Africa have doubled over the past 10 years.

The minister will also visit Loftus Versfeld Stadium, an iconic location for South African rugby, where she will converse with players a few months ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France.

Germany – Visit to Berlin by Laurence Boone, Minister of State for Europe, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (June 19 and 20, 2023)

Laurence Boone, Minister of State for Europe, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will be in Berlin on June 19 and 20.

She will take part in the Day of Industry (TDI) organized by the BDI, the federation of German industries. She will give a speech on the subject of European sovereignty and will then have a discussion with Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Christian Sewing, CEO of Deutsche Bank and Peter Carlsson, CEO of Northvolt.

The minister of state will also meet with several German political and economic leaders on the issues of European enlargement and economic security. She will have discussions with Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe, and Jörg Kukies, State Secretary at the Federal Chancery. She will also meet with Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Bundestag Defense Committee.

Ms. Boone will also take part in a debate during the Day of Progressive Economic Policy organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, where she will discuss progressive economic policy and social justice with SPD co-chair Lars Klingbeil.

Lastly, the minister of state and Anna Lührmann will present the Henrik Enderlein Prize, which recognizes research in the humanities and social sciences on the future of Europe. For this second edition, the prize will go to Vladislava Stoyanova from Lund University, Sweden, with an honorable mention going to Phillip Ayoub from University College London.

Sudan – Donor Conference for Sudan and the Region (June 19, 2023)

On the occasion of the Donor Conference for Sudan and the Region, which will be held on June 19, France reaffirms its solidarity with the Sudanese people, the leading victims of the continued fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

To date, France has provided €41.3 million to meet the humanitarian needs of the Sudanese people and Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries in the areas of health, food security, nutrition, hygiene, shelter and care for the victims of sexual violence.

France calls on all the parties to protect civilians and abide by international humanitarian law, and to guarantee safe, full, unhindered access nationwide to ensure that all necessary assistance reaches populations in need. We also call for lifting restrictions on the deployment of humanitarian workers. We applaud the courage of humanitarian workers who are risking their lives to carry out their tasks.

France strongly condemns the continued fighting in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The violence in Darfur is particularly troubling, both because of its magnitude and its ethnic aspect.

These clashes represent a dramatic setback for the transition to a civilian government supported by the Sudanese.

North Korea – France strongly condemns ballistic missile launches (June 16, 2023)

France strongly condemns the June 15th launch of two ballistic missiles by North Korea. These launches are a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and undermine regional and international peace and security.

France assures the Republic of Korea and Japan of its full solidarity. It urges North Korea to immediately end its destabilizing actions, to comply with its obligations without delay, and to accept offers of dialogue and return to the negotiating table.

France underscores its determination to pursue the goal of North Korea’s complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

Together with its European and international partners, France is fully committed to ensuring the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions.