Newsroom

Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Defence Didier Reynders on the occasion of the conference "Space for Europe, European Space in the World" (Egmont Palace, Brussels).

Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Defence, opened the 11th annual conference on European space policy this morning at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. Minister Reynders stressed that it is essential for Europe to maintain the highest level of ambition.

Over 200 technology and innovation champions from all over the world are joining a two-day humanitarian hackathon in Brussels to foster innovative ideas and build new prototypes that may transform aid delivery and help eradicate hunger. The hackathon is an initiative of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo, together with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Hack Belgium Labs. This Hackathon is dedicated to cutting-edge solutions addressing the most pressing humanitarian challenges.

From January 1st 2019 onwards, Belgium will begin its two-year term in the United Nations Security Council. On the eve of the start of this mandate, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders underscores the importance of this responsibility, which the international community entrusted to our country. Minister Reynders renews the commitment of Belgium to be a constructive, open and trustworthy partner in the pursuit of collective answers to international issues of peace of security, in cooperation with the other members of the Security Council and all other stakeholders.

In 2018, Belgium earmarked 170 million euros for humanitarian aid. This amount went mainly to helping refugees and people in need in their own region. The most important contribution went to the humanitarian catastrophe in and around Syria. An increasing share is going to humanitarian innovation. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation made this announcement on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day.

The United Nations Security Council approved yesterday a one-year extension of resolution 2165. This resolution allows the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to the Syrian population, without requiring the consent of the Syrian regime.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Development Alexander De Croo signed today a new five-year cooperation programme with the Republic of Guinea. Belgium and Guinea will work together in the coming five years on strengthening entrepreneurship, women's rights and education. After successfully containing the Ebola crisis, Guinea became a partner of the Belgian Development Cooperation in 2015.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders is pleased to announce the opening of a new Embassy of Belgium in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

More than 780 million euros additional financial support for women's rights. This is the provisional result of the international #SheIsEqual campaign launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo. This is well in excess of the 500 million target that the minister put forward at the launch of the campaign.

The Belgian Development Cooperation and King Baudouin Foundation launch rolling call for projects for the new Business Partnership Facility 'Enterprises for SDGs'.