Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs

The undersigned members of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) express profound dismay at the decision of Brunei to fully implement its revised Penal Code. As part of the full implementation which became effective on April 3, 2019, provisions have been introduced prescribing a range of penalties including amputation of limbs, whipping and stoning to death for specific acts identified as offences in the Code. The acts that are punishable by means of these penalties include robbery, rape, adultery and engaging in same-sex sexual conduct.

Today, the Council of Ministers gave its green light for the new country programs for Senegal and Rwanda, two partner countries of the Belgian development cooperation. The new country programs focus strongly on entrepreneurship, the development of a local private sector and the promotion of the sexual and reproductive rights and the health of girls and women.

Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense, will travel to Washington today and tomorrow to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. Minister Reynders will also take part in a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers dedicated to the challenges facing the Alliance today.

Besides the coordination of Belgium’s European policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays also a role in informing the public and raising its awareness regarding the European integration project. It is in that framework that Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Defence Didier Reynders launched in 2015 the initiative “Let’s talk together about Europe”. The 8th edition of this event took place today in the Egmont Palace in Brussels.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders welcomes the news that 10,239 citizens residing in the United Kingdom (UK) will also be able to vote for Belgian lists in the European elections of May 26. It concerns the 10,239 Belgians in the United Kingdom who were registered before February 1 to vote in the federal elections.

Today, their Majesties the King and the Queen paid tribute to the soldiers who fought in the Korean War. After a wreath laying ceremony at the Seoul National Cemetery, the resting place of fallen Korean patriots, they visited the War Memorial of Korea – where the names of all fallen soldiers are listed – to pay their respect to the Belgian casualties. They were accompanied by Minister De Crem, Belgian Korea War veteran Raymond Behr and 8 Korean veterans who fought alongside the Belgian troops. The Korean Ministers of Defense and Veterans Affairs also attended the ceremony.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence Didier Reynders strongly condemns the odious attack which caused the violent death of at least 135 persons yesterday in Mali, close to the border with Burkina Faso.

Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians will make a state visit to the Republic of Korea from 25 until 28 March 2019. They will lead a delegation of over 200 people: ministers, high officials, CEO’s, representatives of academic institutions and Belgian media. Seoul will be the main location of all foreseen activities. Her Majesty the Queen will also visit Songdo, an ultraconnected “smart city” in Incheon.