Foreign policy making:The First 100 Days

In any exchange of views,when you ask for precisions on views like France is no longer a major actor in world affairs.The reasons advanced are based on how Russia replaced France in Central African Republic,the invasion of Libya,its consequences on the region and how China is now a strategic partner to countries colonised by France.Analysis that are far from the reality because France has a gross domestic product of $2 937 billion, a wide diplomatic network,a seat at the UN security council,active global research institutions,vibrant not-for-profits capable of running international campaigns on any issue and a founding member of the EU in 1957.

The lower house of parliament from the Place de la Concorde

 Presentation before the Foreign Affairs Commission

The closing notes by Catherine Colonna Let's get to work at the end of the handing over press conference on May 20 2022 were quickly put into practice.In the form of a telephone call to Antony Blinken,the US Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs two days later.A similar telephone call was made to the Foreign Affairs minister of China and a participation at the G20 summit in Indonesia were the early assignments of the minister. On July 12, the presentation before the Foreign Affairs Commission, chaired by Jean-Louis Bourlanges at the lower house of assembly around: the war in Ukraine,African Affairs,the French presidency of the EU and the Indo-Pacific region marked the first actions of a ministerial tenure.

On the spot diplomacy

The second phase of the foreign policy making process was in Berlin.The choice of this venue as the first official visit abroad was justified in the course of an exchange with Annalena Baerbock,where the minister declared, Franco-German cooperation is highly important in this our time of crisis. And during this visit the discussion between the two ministers focused on the war in Ukraine,energy transition and the European Union. 

A visit to Niger,in the company of the defence minister conveyed to African policy makers,the new doctrine of the administration to associate government agencies to projects in liberated territories and the need to put emphasis on economic development.July was also the month of visits to three African capitals,in the company of the president to add that touch of a good start in the first 100 days of the new administration.

Diplomacy | France-Africa-part one | Death-of-the-Queen |