Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders received, this Thursday 20 July 2017 at the Egmont Palace, his Saudi counterpart Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir. The two Ministers exchanged on bilateral relations, the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, the fight against terrorism, and the regional situation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders is concerned about the arrest and enduring detention of human rights defenders under the current state of emergency in Turkey. This regards among others 10 human rights activists, including the director of Amnesty International Turkey and two international experts, who were arrested last week in Istanbul.

Today, Belgium is officially announcing its bid to host the European Medicines Agency. Relocating the European Medicines Agency to the Brussels Greater Area will guarantee a seamless, swift and cost-efficient transition of its operations. The Brussels Greater Area is home to the most important European institutions, professional federations, corporate headquarters and civil society organizations, facilitating interaction and dialogue, reducing travel costs and promoting synergies.

Today, during a United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, Belgium presents an evaluation report on the efforts our country is undertaking in order to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals. These seventeen goals aim to exclude extreme poverty worldwide by 2030 and to protect our planet. The report is the result of an intense and inclusive process involving the Federal Government, the federated entities and a large number of civil-society organizations.

High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, New York, UN: Belgian National Statement by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders announces that, this year, Belgium voluntarily contributes € 450 000 in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The funds will support the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. Concretely, Belgium will contribute € 250 000 to radiotherapy and nuclear medicine programs and € 200 000 to the modernization of the IAEA laboratories.

Exactly 100 years ago today, on July 12th, 1917, the first large-scale mustard gas attack in human history took place on Belgian territory in Ieper. This chemical weapon caused numerous deaths and scarred other victims for life. Today, chemical ammunition is still being found on the battlefields of the First World War. Belgium continues to destroy significant amounts of these weapons and has recently invested in the acquisition of new equipment to continue its dismantlement activities.

Joint statement by Belgium, United Kingdom and the Netherlands at the Family Planning Summit in London.