I have just visited France, one of the cradles of humanitarianism.
When it comes to helping people in the direst need, the French have long been among the first, the most active and the most committed. Think, for instance, about Medecins Sans Frontieres, set up by French doctors driven by the desire to reach out to those who most need their help. The flame lit by these doctors is brighter than ever today, giving relief to thousands of people every day and inspiring others to contribute to its great work.

In Paris, I was happy to see that this long-standing French commitment to humanitarian work and principles is thriving. I noticed it during my meetings with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and International Cooperation Minister Henri de Raincourt. I also felt it at the National Humanitarian Conference. There, I thought how impressive and reassuring it is that at these challenging times for Europe, French ministers, NGOs and civil society still keep a focused eye on the humanitarian priorities and actively discuss the future of humanitarian work.

These discussions were preceded by a symbolic reminder of the importance of our humanitarian commitment – just days earlier, three French humanitarian workers were released after months in captivity in Yemen. We rejoice at their safe delivery, but their kidnap reminds us how dangerous and difficult humanitarians’ work can be and how important it is that we give our full support to them and the people they help. On this point, France certainly comes from a great tradition, but also shows great ambition.

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