Lebanon – France is deeply concerned by continued border clashes with Israel (December 6, 2023)

France is deeply concerned by continued clashes at the border between Lebanon and Israel.

It deplores the Israeli shelling that killed a member of the Lebanese Armed Forces and offers its heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.

France reiterates its support for the Lebanese army, which upholds the country’s unity and stability. It reiterates its commitment to Lebanese sovereignty and to the full implementation of UN Security Resolution 1701 by all concerned parties.

All parties must show the utmost restraint in order to prevent a regional conflagration from which Lebanon would not recover. These clashes affect the security of UNIFIL, whose ability to take action and ensure security must absolutely be preserved.

International justice – Election of judges to the International Criminal Court (December 6, 2023)

France welcomes the election of Nicolas Guillou to the office of judge at the International Criminal Court by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute for the 2024-2033 term.

His candidacy, which was put forth by France, is a further illustration of our country’s commitment to the International Criminal Court, whose role in combating impunity for the most serious international crimes is vital to ensuring that victims obtain justice. The court must continue to work independently and impartially on all matters referred to it. France will continue to support it to that end. France also supports the goal of making the Rome Statute universal and will strive to make that happen. As Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has reiterated, there can be no lasting peace without justice.

International organizations – France’s reelection to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (December 6, 2023)

France was reelected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the 2023-2025 term at the Assembly’s 33rd session, held in London from November 27 to December 6. We thank the 145 states that put their trust in us. Our country is proud to have served on the Council, the IMO’s executive body, since its establishment, and we are honored by the recognition of our role as a maritime power.

Driven by the conviction that the oceans are a common good, France will maintain its commitment to protect marine ecosystems as well as maritime safety and security.

It is in this spirit that in 2025, France will host the next UN Ocean Conference in Nice, which it will co-chair with Costa Rica. This important gathering will provide an opportunity for France to continue its efforts to ensure safe, clean, sustainable, decarbonized maritime spaces. Our priorities include the prevention of ship-source pollutants and the international maritime sector’s achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050, in accordance with the strategy adopted by the IMO in July 2022. In this regard, France announced a new €100,000 contribution to the IMO trust fund to facilitate the participation of developing countries in IMO meetings relating to the decarbonization of maritime transport. The commitments by public and private actors to decarbonize maritime transport announced on the sidelines of the COP28 are an important step toward that goal.