Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs

From 17 to 22 November, Princess Astrid, representing the King, will lead a Belgian economic mission to China. With 632 participants, it will be the largest economic mission ever. The wide range of registered companies and the extensive programme reflect the great interest of our companies, universities and research centres in the opportunities that China has to offer. In addition to the promotion of exports and investments, intercultural and political relations between our two countries will also be central to the princely mission.

The fight against terrorism is a priority of Belgium’s Foreign Policy. To this end, our country actively participates in the Global Coalition Against ISIS. In this framework, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders will attend the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition Against ISIS on November 14 in Washington.

On Tuesday November 12, Arnaud Gaspart has taken the position of deputy spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. He replaces Nadia Benini, who is joining the geographic service Western and Central Europe.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders took part in the Ministerial Conference of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) today and yesterday in Monaco.

Today, we celebrate the United Nations Day as a commemoration of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945. The Charter established the international organization. Belgium was one of the first countries to sign the Charter and the United Nations remains a unique global framework for realizing our multilateral commitment.

International seminar on the "Security Implications of Emerging Climate Altering Technologies": speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders (Brussels, 23 October 2019).

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders opened an international seminar at the Royal Military School in Brussels on the "Security Implications of Emerging Climate Altering Technologies". The event was organised in the framework of the Belgian mandate 2019-2020 in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It reflects the importance that Belgium attaches to the link between security and climate.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Didier Reynders invited a group of high-level experts at the Egmont Palace in Brussels to discuss the importance of including child protection issues in peace negotiations. Belgium has played a leading role in this field for years and remains committed as the chair of the UNSC Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) during its mandate in the Security Council in 2019-2020.