The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the United Nations General Assembly
© UN Photo/Marco Castro
- from: 22.09.2008
- to: 29.09.2008
- In: New York (USA)
The United Nations General Assembly is a period of high-level diplomatic activity for the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, particularly during the week of ministerial meetings which opens the 63rd session of the General Assembly.
The President of the European Council, Nicolas Sarkozy, gave the opening address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on behalf of the European Union on Tuesday 23 September.
The European Council President addressed the high-level meeting on Africa’s Development Needs on behalf of the European Union on Monday 22 September.
The 27 EU foreign affairs ministers, the High Representative for CFSP, and the Commissioner for External Relations are thus meeting with the Russian and American foreign affairs ministers on 23 and 24 September respectively. The Middle East (Middle East Peace Process and Iran) and Georgia are on the agenda of both meetings.
Ministerial meetings are also planned between the EU Troika - comprising the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the High Representative for CFSP and the European Commission -, the Czech Republic (next to hold the Presidency of the EU Council) and the following countries: the Cooperation Council of Arab Gulf States (Tuesday, 23 September); Pakistan, Iraq and the Palestinian Authority (Thursday, 25 September); the Organisation of The Islamic Conference, the Rio Group and the Non-Aligned Movement (Friday, 26 September); Bosnia-Herzegovina (Monday, 29 September). Troika meetings are also planned between the EU and the UN Secretary-General (Saturday, 27 September), Japan and China.
On Friday, 26 September, a seminar on cooperation between the UN and the European Union on crisis and management and security will bring together the foreign affairs ministers of the 27 EU Member States, the High Representative for CFSP, the European Commission, the UN Secretary-General and civil society representatives (academics, journalists, members of think tanks).
- Updated: 26.11.2008
