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In an international context marked by a growing number of conflicts, an increase in cross-cutting threats such as organized crime and drug trafficking, and the fragmentation of the world economic order, France wants to put dialogue, crisis-response and renewed multilateralism at the heart of its G7 Presidency. These will be the objectives of this G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held on 26-27 March in Les Vaux-de-Cernay.
True to the spirit of the founding Summit in Rambouillet in 1975, (…)

Following a joint procedure involving the [European] Parliament and Council, the city of Lille has been chosen to host the headquarters of the European Union Customs Authority (EUCA).
France welcomes the decision to set up a new European agency on its territory, in Lille, a city with a deeply rooted customs culture. The new headquarters is destined to play a central role in the ongoing reform of the Customs Union.
France repeats that it is fully mobilized when it comes to protecting (…)

With 396 million speakers, French is one of the now the fourth most widely spoken language. On 20 March, International Francophonie Day is also a celebration of young people, as more than half of French-speakers worldwide are under 30.
A growing language
According to the latest report of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), French became the fourth most widely spoken language worldwide in 2016, behind English, Mandarin and Spanish.
The French language is spoken on (…)

On Tuesday 10 February, following the US Department of Justice's publication of the files relating to the Epstein case, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs referred the situations of Fabrice Aidan, a French diplomat mentioned in the files, and all other persons implicated in relations with Mr Epstein to the Public Prosecutor at the Paris High Court under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Regarding Fabrice Aidan's administrative situation, the Minister also initiated an (…)

On March 24, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by telephone with Dr. Ilza Amado Vaz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Communities of São Tomé and Príncipe.
They emphasized both countries' shared values and their shared commitment to the respect of international law, effective multilateralism and Francophonie. They also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly on energy and education.
In line with France and Gabon's 2026 joint (…)

On March 24, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by telephone with Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
With 2026 marking the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, the Ministers discussed progress on strategic cooperation ahead of President Macron's state visit to Korea and the South Korean Minister's arrival in France, where he will attend meetings on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers meeting at Vaux-de-Cernay (…)

France welcomes the release of 250 prisoners in Belarus, thanks to mediation by the United States. It is the most significant release since the start of this process initiated by Belarus in July 2024.
France calls for this momentum to be continued and accelerated, and for political sentences and imprisonments to be halted.
It also encourages the Belarusian authorities to continue allowing all the people released to live peacefully in Belarus, and calls on them to allow those who so wish (…)

M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, had a meeting with Mr Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Paris on 20 March 2026.
Thirty years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in Paris, the Minister reaffirmed France's commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and to the whole region's stability.
The Minister signalled his support for the prospect of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (…)

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, express support to our partners in the region in the face of the unjustifiable attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies.
We condemn in the strongest terms the regime's reckless attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi (…)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot was in Berlin, Germany, on March 17 and 18.
This visit, which follows the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels and immediately precedes the European Council meeting, illustrates the close and constant cooperation that exists between France and Germany at the heart of Europe. The Minister addressed the German Cabinet in accordance with the provision contained in the bilateral Aachen Treaty stating that a member of the Government (…)