World Day against the #DeathPenalty

On the occasion of the World Day against the #DeathPenalty, I underline Belgium’s commitment to the universal abolition of the death penalty. Read more on why we call for #AbolitionNow

German Unity Day

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the German Reunification paved the way for the historic unification of Europe through peaceful means. On their national day, Belgium wishes its neighbours ‘einen wunderschönen Tag der Deutschen Einheit!’

Foreign affairs

In today’s globalised society, no single development or issue can leave us indifferent, and international cooperation has become more crucial than ever. The FPS represents Belgium in several international organisations and in different parts of the world, taking a proactive approach to policy, especially on vital issues like peace and security, human rights and promotion of the rule of law, with…

Foreign Trade

Economic diplomacy is one of the basic missions of the FPS Foreign Affairs, which – operating within the current constitutional framework and taking account of the other stakeholders in the field – strives to promote Belgian economic interests abroad. It does this in a number of ways. For example, the FPS Foreign Affairs supports Belgian businesses in their international activities, with e.g. the…

European affairs

In Belgium, the Directorate-general Coordination and European Affairs (DGE) of the FPS Foreign Affairs is responsible for preparing, defining, representing, managing and following the European policy. Its role gained in importance as the European integration was progressing. The European policy of Belgium is defined through more than 250 coordination meetings a year the DGE organizes with the…

UNGA75 HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

BEIJING+25 Accelerating the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls Mr Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen, Twenty-five years ago, we made a commitment to take bold action to achieve gender equality. To create a world where girls and boys, women and men have the same rights, the same access, the same opportunities. A world where it is your individuality and your…

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…

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…