Ministerial meeting of the Coalition for the Sahel: intervention
Only the spoken word shall count Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, I would like to thank the High Representative of the Coalition, Mr Adoum, for organising this exchange of views on the situation in the Sahel and on the future of our Coalition’s action. I agree with the High Representative that the context in the Sahel has changed since the roadmap was approved last year. For example, three weeks ago,…
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): statement
Only the spoken word counts Mr Chair, Belgium fully aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. Given the gravity of the situation, let me also speak in my national capacity. Dear colleagues, we are going through one of the darkest hours in the history of Europe. Let me first reiterate our unequivocal support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. It is in the strongest terms that I condemn Russia’s aggression…
EU-African Union ministerial meeting in Kigali
Dear Colleagues, First of all, I would like to thank Rwanda and Minister Vincent Biruta for hosting us, as well as our Co-Presidents Josep Borrell and Christophe Lutundula, for organising this meeting. I will address two points in particular. Chairs, with regard to the theme of ‘Peace, security and governance’, I think it is relevant, as the African Union’s framework memorandum invites us to do, to look at the role of the State at a time when it is coming under increasing pressure. The…
Equal Rights Coalition: committed to LGBTIQ rights
Dear colleagues, Excellencies, It a pleasure to see that five years after its creation, the Equal Rights Coalition is being consolidated and reinvigorated. This comes at a critical time, when in many places, including in Europe, the advancement of LGBTIQ rights is stagnating or even regressing. The Coalition can and must play its part in turning around this worrisome trend. We therefore welcome the formal launch of the Strategy…
Seminar on the EU Strategic Compass
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me first wish you all a warm welcome. My colleague, Minister of Defence Ludivine Dedonder, and myself are particularly proud to gather such a large and knowledgeable audience here today. As I understand, it is the first time ever that civil servants from both the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Ministries of Defense of the 27 Member States address together EU defence and security policies. Belgium firmly believes it is key to reflect jointly…
Generation Equality Forum: Belgium renews commitment to women's rights
25 years ago, we committed ourselves to taking bold steps to achieve gender equality. Although we have made progress, no country has managed to fully implement the Beijing Platform for Action. Belgium welcomes today’s historic opportunity to renew its commitment and to continue its work to make human rights a reality for all women and girls. The fight against gender-based violence will remain a priority for Belgium. The…
Plenary meeting on Thursday 20 May 2021: verbal questions
Verbal questions about the Israel/Palestine conflict Only the spoken word shall count Dear Members of Parliament, I would like to thank you for your numerous questions regarding the dramatic developments in the Middle East. A situation that has touched everybody. Our thoughts are with all the innocent civilian victims and their families and the populations who are currently living in anxiety and uncertainty. Last week, during the plenary meeting, I comprehensively covered the context of the…
10th anniversary of The Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe
Today, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe. This Convention sets the highest international standards for the prevention of violence against women. It’s a major human rights treaty, establishing comprehensive legal standards to ensure women’s rights to be free from violence. It’s also a success story: as of today, 34 States ratified it. Among them, the Benelux countries have been…
65th session of the UN- Commission on the Status of Women
General Debate – Intervention of Belgium Dear Mister Chair, Distinguished representatives, Ladies and gentlemen, As the UN Secretary General recently said: gender equality is perhaps the world’s greatest human rights challenge. More than 25 years ago, we committed ourselves in Beijing to take bold steps to achieve this goal. Women’s unequal share of power and decision-making was 25 years ago already recognized as a…
Sophie Wilmès calls for further efforts towards nuclear disarmament
On Monday, 22 February, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès addressed the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva during its high-level segment. The Conference on Disarmament, of which Belgium is a permanent member, was established in 1979. To date, it is the only multilateral instrument dedicated to the negotiation of disarmament agreements. Disarmament and non-proliferation are crucial issues for international peace and security and as such constitute a priority…