European Union – Mr. Laurent Fabius’s participation in the informal meeting of foreign ministers (Athens, April 4 to 5, 2014)
Ebola virus – France’s actions
Afghanistan – Attack against the Interior Ministry (Kabul, April 2, 2014)
European Union – Mr. Laurent Fabius’s participation in the informal meeting of foreign ministers (Athens, April 4 to 5, 2014)
Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, will participate in the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers from April 4 to 5 in Athens.
He will discuss with his counterparts the major international and European issues of concern: Ukraine, the European Neighborhood Policy, relations with Russia and the situation in Syria.
Ebola virus – France’s actions
1) Since the Guinean authorities notified WHO on March 22 of an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development has been fully mobilized to directly help the affected populations:
- an expert from the Institut Pasteur in Lyon will travel to Conakry on Saturday, at the request of the Guinean authorities, with the support of the Crisis Center;
- our embassies in Guinea (also responsible for Sierra Leone) and in Liberia are in continuous contact with the health monitoring and health care facilities established in each of these countries;
- we support the efforts of WHO on the ground, notably with respect to coordinating the additional resources that have been deployed. The European humanitarian agency, ECHO, has provided €500,000 in emergency aid;
- on the ground in Guinea, we are supporting efforts to strengthen the Red Cross teams in order to help them deploy additional health care professionals. In Liberia, Doctors without Borders have, at our request, deployed a specialized team tasked with setting up an isolation center equipped with kits to protect health care workers and to support the teams of European experts already there, notably from the Institut Pasteur. We pay tribute to all of the non-governmental organizations that are doing an incredible job on the ground under difficult conditions.
2) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development is also mobilized to ensure the protection of our compatriots in the region:
- a message was added to the “Travel Advisory” page of the France Diplomatie website for Guinea and Liberia on March 21 and for all of the countries bordering Guinea on March 24. The message includes health recommendations as well as advice in the event of symptoms;
- email and text message alerts were sent to French residents and visitors registered on the Ariane assistance system;
- in Conakry, the French lycée and the French-Guinean cultural center are operating as normal. This is also the case for most companies established in Guinea. There are currently no plans to repatriate personnel or families.
3) We are mindful of the risk that the virus could spread beyond the current outbreak zone. Our diplomatic and consular network is monitoring the situation very closely. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, the health authorities, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Air France are in continuous contact.
Will the Quai d’Orsay introduce any specific measures in France in order to prevent the emergence of the Ebola virus in France?
Please refer to the statement that we have just made.
With respect to preventive measures in France in particular, please contact the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Afghanistan – Attack against the Interior Ministry (Kabul, April 2, 2014)
France condemns the attack perpetrated on April 2 in Kabul against the Interior Ministry, as well as all violence aimed at jeopardizing the first round of the Afghan presidential election, scheduled to take place on April 5.
This election is a major step forward for the Afghans. It must be democratic and transparent.
On the eve of this crucial deadline, France stands alongside the Afghan institutions and people.