ASFE Association, always by your side when abroad

The Foreign Ministers of France, Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference for the first time under the 2026 French G7 Presidency. This informal meeting, the first of the Foreign Affairs track, was an opportunity for the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Noël Barrot, to present the key priorities of the French G7 Presidency (…)

France offers its condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of Cyclones Fytia and Gezani.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with Madagascar's people and government, and are continuing to dispatch relief supplies and experts in order to respond to the emergency.
This support is made possible by the decisive action of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' Crisis and Support Center, as well as government agencies based in Reunion (…)

Dairy products: a lowering of Chinese tariffs remains inadequate in view of the challenges facing our industry
We note the conclusions published by the Chinese authorities yesterday, leading to the introduction of definitive tariffs on the European dairy industry ranging from 7.4% to 11.7%, when provisional, much higher levels – between 21.9% and 42.7% – had been envisaged in December 2025. These measures relate to a volume of trade estimated at nearly €430 million.
These tariffs continue to (…)

France takes note of the end of the Transitional Presidential Council's mandate on February 7, in line with the political agreement of April 3, 2024. It applauds the orderly transition of executive power from President Laurent Saint-Cyr to the Cabinet of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
It encourages the Haitian government to continue strengthening the Haiti National Police and Haitian Armed forces and to step up efforts to combat criminal gangs and their means of (…)

On February 10, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot met with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar, in Strasbourg. He applauded the work carried out by Mr. Guyomar since his election as President of the Court in May 2025, an election that was a credit to the French judiciary's tradition of excellence.
The Minister reiterated France's full support for the court's independence and authority. He stressed the Court's fundamental role in protecting (…)

France strongly condemns the Israeli security cabinet's decisions aimed at expanding Israel's control over the West Bank, particularly Areas A and B. These decisions are contrary to international law and represent a dangerous challenge to the Oslo Accords and the Hebron Protocol.
These measures, along with the approval of the E1 project and the publication of a tender for that project, are fueling momentum for annexing the West Bank and as such, represent a serious attack on the two-state (…)

France was deeply concerned to learn of the sentencing of Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi to seven and a half years in prison.
With this sentencing, the Iranian regime has once again opted for repression and intimidation, in defiance of the Iranian people's fundamental rights, which Narges Mohammadi tirelessly defends.
France calls for her release.

Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamad Hasan, on February 9. He thanked him for the Malaysian authorities' support in enabling Tom Félix to return promptly to France following his acquittal.
The two Ministers also discussed expanding bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of business, defense, hybrid threats and critical minerals.
They also addressed regional (…)

Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, France reaffirms the importance of combating these violations of fundamental rights and promoting gender equality throughout the world.
According to UNICEF, more than 230 million women and girls worldwide have undergone genital mutilation, i.e. a 15% increase compared to figures for 2016. The United Nations Population Fund states that a further 23 million girls risk being subjected to this violence over the (…)

The New START Treaty, the latest strategic arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, expired on 5 February 2026.
Russia bears responsibility for this situation, having suspended its participation in the New START Treaty in 2023 and stepped up actions undermining the international nuclear arms control architecture.
France reaffirms its support for strategic arms control between the nuclear-weapon States with the largest nuclear arsenals, which is an essential instrument for (…)