Leaders’ Pledge for Nature : United to Reverse Biodiversity Loss by 2030 for Sustainable Development
The message scientists sent us, sounds loud and clear: both climate change and the loss of biodiversity have devastating consequences for our health, our prosperity and wellbeing, and for sustainable development as a whole. They mutually reinforce one another. Urgent action to address these threats in an effective and coherent manner is needed to fulfill the vision of the 2030 Agenda for present and future generations. We ought…
Speech to the 75th United Nations General Assembly
Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary-General, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Heads of Delegation, Ladies and Gentlemen. Confidence – responsibility – commitment These are the three pillars on which we are building mutual aid and cooperation between our various countries: effective multilateralism. These are the three values that we need to safeguard this multilateralism and that I…
Response to parliamentary questions on the National Security Council meeting held on 23 September 2020 and on Brexit
Check against delivery. National Security Council meeting held on 23 September 2020 Thank you, Mr Speaker. First of all, I’d like to express my amazement at how linguistic imperfections are the main concern for some people rather than the gravity of the situation. But it’s no big deal, or “c’est pas grave”, as the French expression goes. The whole of Europe is indeed facing a resurgence in the epidemic – and Belgium, where the situation…
Speech on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations
Dear Mr Chairman, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 75 years ago, The guns of World War II had only just died down, The largest multilateral organization ever was born. The United Nations Charter came into force. This anniversary is an opportunity to remind us of the objectives behind this unique creation. The aim was to rebuild a world in ruins by establishing a strong and universal framework of international standards. To rebuild a world to save future generations…
Response to parliamentary questions on COVID-19 and on preparations for a second wave
Check against delivery Thank you, Mr Speaker. The improvement we’ve seen in the health situation in recent weeks isn’t a given, as shown by the reproduction number, which has risen above 1 again. One of the questions was about daily figures. I share your opinion entirely. I share your opinion, and we’ve asked [the Belgian federal public health institute] Sciensano to start providing us with daily figures again, to at least ensure that the experts have these at their disposal,…
National Security Council meeting of 15 July
Phase 5 of the phase-out plan is not yet activated. Some indicators are worrying and we are keeping an eye on things. We all need to be more vigilant. On 23 July, we will assess the situation again.
Response to parliamentary questions on the handling of the crisis and on the recovery
Check against delivery Handling of the coronavirus crisis Thank you, Mr Speaker. Of course, the summer-holiday period is a very popular time for people to travel abroad, and the lockdown we have experienced because of the public-health crisis has definitely made the desire for a change of scene even greater. However, as we know and as has been said many times, the virus has not gone anywhere. It is still out there. New infection clusters have emerged in several of Belgium’s…
Response to parliamentary questions (events sector and management of the crisis compared with other OECD countries)
Check against delivery Emergence from the crisis and the road ahead for the events sector Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I’ve said a number of times, easing the lockdown is an unprecedented, complex and gradual process that requires us to strike a balance between the desire and the need to return to normal life, on the one hand, and the requirements of the health situation, on the other. Unfortunately, because of their very nature, certain sectors cannot resume their activities…
Response to parliamentary questions
Check against delivery Meeting of the National Security Council on 3 June 2020 – support measures for the hospitality industry Thank you, Mr Speaker. Various sectors and industries are affected by the resumption in activity envisaged in phase 3 of the lockdown exit plan, chief among them the hospitality industry and the cultural and sports sectors. I’m not going to repeat here all the decisions set out yesterday, but I will focus on some specific details that have…
Response to parliamentary questions on the decisions of the National Security Council of 24 June
Check against delivery. Thank you, Mr. President, The positive trends in healthcare data do indeed allow us to move to phase 4 on 1 July, with the prospect of further easing. But it is always still possible that we will have to dial back measures. We must never forget this. Regarding the gatherings of large groups, because there were some questions about this. The gatherings we saw last weekend or a few weeks ago are not without consequences. Of course, there are many…