Adoption by the Senate of the framework bill on development and international solidarity (May 26, 2014)
Consular elections – Voter turnout and results
Publication of the French Development Agency’s annual report (May 26, 2014)
Adoption by the Senate of the framework bill on development and international solidarity (May 26, 2014)
Ms. Annick Girardin, Minister of State for Development and Francophony, welcomes the adoption by the Senate, by a large majority, of the framework bill on development and international solidarity.
This bill is the first to be put forward in this area. It implements a campaign commitment made by President Hollande and is the first step in the process of development policy reform initiated by Laurent Fabius and Pascal Canfin in May 2012.
The policy on development and international solidarity is based on coherence, effectiveness and transparency.
In the next few days, a joint committee will be tasked with drafting a joint version of the text ahead of the formal vote on the bill before the summer.
Consular elections – Voter turnout and results
On Saturday, May 24 on the American continent and on Sunday, May 25 in the rest of the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development held, throughout the French consular network, elections for 443 consular advisors and 68 consular representatives who now form, under the law of July 22, 2013, the local representation of French nationals abroad and the electorate of the senators representing French citizens living abroad.
In this election, as in the legislative elections in 2012, people were able to vote on-line or in one of the 481 polling stations set up for the election.
The results will be announced by each of the electoral district headquarters by 6:00 pm local time today; the lists of elected representatives will be published on the websites of the embassies and consulates general today and on France Diplomatie tomorrow.
Publication of the French Development Agency’s annual report (May 26, 2014)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development welcomes the record level of international funding by the French Development Agency. The main operator for France’s development policy in 2013 has just published its annual report which shows an increase of 8% compared with 2012.
Thanks to this commitment by AFD, France continues to be one of the leading bilateral development assistance donors. Within the framework of its mission to demonstrate solidarity in order to address the common challenges facing the planet, AFD’s work focuses heavily on sub-Saharan Africa, which remains AFD’s main area of operation (46% of overseas funding). Climate is another priority for AFD (47% of financing). These projects help provide tangible support for France’s position in the international negotiations, in the run-up to the all-important 2015 Paris Climate Conference.
In 2013, AFD launched an initiative aimed at strengthening dialogue with businesses and the private sector. The goal of this initiative is to allow AFD to further contribute to promoting France’s economic influence.