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France

Macron delivers New Year's greetings to French diplomats

© Ludovic Marin, Pool, AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at the Élysée Palace on January 3.

Text by FRANCE 24

Latest update : 2018-01-04

French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a traditional New Year's message to the diplomatic corps on Thursday, laying out his priorities for the year ahead.

Security remains the “main challenge” in the year ahead despite recent coalition victories against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, Macron told diplomats in his New Year’s greetings. The French president also underscored France’s commitment to battling jihadists in the Sahel region of Africa.

He called for a renewed focus on combating the financing of terrorism, which is often funded by illegal trafficking in arms, drugs and human beings.

“Our challenge is to turn the road of misery into a road towards freedom,” Macron told the diplomats.

Maintaining independence while promoting solidarity and strengthening France’s influence are among the other foreign policy priorities of the Élysée Palace, Macron said, vowing that France will “fully play its role” on the international stage in the year ahead.

 

Date created : 2018-01-04

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