International justice
France offers support to the International Criminal Court to step up cybersecurity (Dec. 12, 2023)

France is allocating an additional €500,000 to step up the International Criminal Court’s cybersecurity after it was targeted by a cyberattack.

France once again condemns threats and cyberattacks against the Court, which seriously undermine its work.

It reaffirms its full support for the ICC, which as the only permanent international criminal court plays a critical role in combating impunity for the most serious international crimes. This is a diplomatic priority for France, as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna reiterated on December 10, on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and at the 25th anniversary commemoration of the Rome Statute on July 17 in New York.

France will continue its efforts to make the Rome Statute universal and to enable the Court to carry out its mission independently and impartially, as this is vital to ensuring that victims obtain justice.

Guatemala (Dec. 12, 2023)

France strongly condemns attempts to challenge the results of Guatemala’s general elections held on June 25 and August 20.

France supported the deployment of an EU Election Observation Mission to Guatemala, which concluded that the general elections were conducted fairly, and the election results were declared unalterable by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Legal challenges targeting the president-elect, his party and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal represent a grave threat to the transition process, the rule of law and democracy in Guatemala.

The EU and its member states are working on the adoption of a European autonomous framework for sanctions against those responsible for these actions, as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy stated on December 8.

France calls on all Guatemalan authorities to abide by the expressed will of the Guatemalan people and to take all measures to ensure a safe and orderly presidential transition on the scheduled date, January 14.

Q&A

Do France and Egypt agree that any transfer of Gazan civilians by the Israeli government across the border would be unacceptable?

International humanitarian law prohibits any forced displacement of a population. France opposes any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

On December 6, during the Follow-up meeting to the Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna warned of the humanitarian consequences that would result from such displacements of civilians.

France has always supported the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspiration to have their own state and will continue to work for the two-state solution, with both states living side by side in peace and security. This must come about through negotiations, whose urgency is highlighted by the current situation.