Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, will visit the Loiret on Friday, September 30, as part of his tour of the regions of France focusing on the theme of how Europe can benefit the regions, economic development, innovation and employment, especially youth employment.

The minister of state will visit Amilly for the 30th anniversary of the association ALPEJ which works to promote youth employment and social inclusion. The EU provides funding to the Regional Federation of Economic Integration Enterprises through the European Social Fund to support 17 enterprises in the sector including the association ALPEJ. The minister of state will reaffirm France's determination to boost recognition of European social enterprises and associations.

Harlem Désir will then travel to Saint-Cyr en Val to visit the workshop of Altyor Technochina, an innovative company that designs and manufactures connected devices and is a beneficiary of the Juncker Investment Plan.

With €14.5 billion already received in funding, France is the leading beneficiary of infrastructure and innovation projects financed under the Juncker Plan.

The minister of state will also meet with elected officials and local economic actors for a working lunch focusing on the mobilization of European funds in the region. Indeed, more than €666 million in European Structural and Investment Funds have been allocated to this region for the period 2014-2020.

Iran – Situation of journalist Narges Mohammadi

France deplores the 16-year prison sentence upheld on appeal handed down to Narges Mohammadi, a journalist and Deputy Director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran.

France reaffirms its attachment to the freedom of the press and the freedom of opinion and expression.

Sudan – Possible chemical attacks in Darfur

We are concerned to learn of Amnesty International's report denouncing chemical attacks in Sudan's warring Darfur region.

This report contains very serious accusations that we can neither confirm nor refute at this stage.

The use, development, manufacture and storage of chemical weapons are banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention ratified by 192 nations, including Sudan.

France will support any initiative that helps sheds light on these possible chemical attacks in Darfur.

France supports the presence of UNAMID in Sudan and is waiting for any information it might make available.

Culture – Signature of a protocol agreement between the Centre Pompidou and the Brussels Region (September 29, 2016)

We welcome the signing of an agreement in Brussels on September 29 between the Centre Pompidou and the Brussels Region to create a new space devoted to modern and contemporary art and architecture in the Belgian capital in 2020.

The Centre Pompidou's expertise will be essential to this partnership, which reflects the richness of France's great museum collections and French cultural activities and events.