Matthias Fekl, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the Promotion of Tourism and French Nationals Abroad, will visit Cuba from October 25-27 together with a delegation of companies.

This visit fulfills the commitments made during the state visits by President Hollande to Havana in May 2015 and President Raùl Castro to Paris in February 2016. It will notably provide an opportunity to hold the first meetings of the bilateral committee to monitor the economic road map and the fund aimed at converting a portion of the Cuban debt into development projects.

Matthias Fekl, together with Jean Pierre Bel, Special Envoy of President Hollande, will inaugurate a branch of the French Development Agency and will meet with Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment. He will also meet with Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, Vice President of the Council of Ministers, and Manuel Marrero Cruz, Minister of Tourism.

Matthias Fekl, accompanied by the Cuban authorities and officials from Bouygues and Aéroports de Paris, will visit the site of Havana Airport, the modernization of which has been entrusted to these two French groups. He will also inaugurate the new premises of the Alejo Carpentier French School and will meet with the French community and French businesses.

Pakistan – Attack against the police academy in Quetta (October 24-25, 2016)

France condemns the attack perpetrated last night in Quetta (Baluchistan) against the police academy, the provisional toll for which stands at approximately 60 dead and several dozen injured.

In these tragic circumstances, France extends its condolences to the victims' families.

France reaffirms its determination in the face of terrorism and stands alongside the Pakistani authorities.

Central African Republic – Violence (October 24, 2016)

France condemns the violence surrounding the demonstrations in Bangui yesterday which left 4 people dead and 12 others injured, according to the latest reports available. It issues a warning to all those who would seek to stand in the way of reconciliation among the people of the Central African Republic led by the authorities that emerged from the elections and underscores that the perpetrators of the violence must be held accountable for their acts.

France denounces the provocations and attacks against MINUSCA and reaffirms its full support to it in implementing its mandate to protect civilians and stabilize the Central African Republic.

We again assure President Touadéra and the Central African Republic authorities of the determination of France and the entire international community to support their action to promote the recovery of the Central African Republic, in accordance with the expectations expressed by the population of the Central African Republic as a whole.

Kenya – Death penalty (October 24, 2016)

France welcomes the decision announced yesterday by President Uhuru Kenyatta to commute the sentences of more than 2,700 people on death row.

While Kenya has not gone forward with an execution since 1987, it has one of the world's largest death row populations.

France, which is deeply committed to abolishing the death penalty worldwide, encourages Kenya to continue in this direction and to join the community of nations that have definitively abolished this cruel and inhuman punishment.