Crisis in the Middle East – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ consultations with regional players (6 January 2024)

Given the unprecedented level of tension in the Middle East and at President Macron’s request, Mme Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, has in recent days embarked on a series of consultations with France’s partners in the region.

She spoke to: Mr Najib Mikati, Lebanese Prime Minister, on 3 January; Mr Riyad al-Maliki, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs, on 5 January; and Mr Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on 6 January.

These conversations allowed the Minister to signal France’s commitment to the free delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip to address the immediate needs of civilians, in coordination with Egypt and Jordan in particular.

The Minister also spoke about efforts to achieve a ceasefire, without which no lasting response can be made to the humanitarian disaster under way.

The Minister also emphasized the need for all the parties to show responsibility and restraint to avoid a regional escalation, which would benefit no one.

The consultations will continue in the coming days.