Conference of ambassadors: strength, influence and independence of France

Since 1993, all heads of French diplomatic missions have met in Paris in late August. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out, “this meeting is an opportunity for the highest authorities of the French State to give the annual guidelines for the work of France’s representatives abroad and in international organisations”. As such, the Ministry continues, it is “a central moment for French diplomacy”.

Synergy of agendas and continuation of the Choose France plan

“The stronger the country is economically, the more we will be able to radiate, settle and develop our strength”. In his speech to the ambassadors, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted on the need to continue “accelerating the work to make us more attractive” and, to do so, to “perpetuate the popular Choose France initiatives”. During these summits organised in Versailles, France’s economic strength, but also its cultural, sporting and gastronomic strengths will be represented in the “synergy of agendas”.

On this subject, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, stated in her speech that it was “under the Choose France banner and thanks to the competitiveness reforms carried out during the previous five-year term” that France had become the most attractive country in Europe in terms of foreign investment projects.

Influence rather than radiance

In order to “make France stronger and contribute to its influence and radiance”, it is necessary, according to the President, “to fully assume a strategy of influence and radiance for France”. However, rather than talking about radiance, President Macron prefers the word “influence”, because “influence simply consists of explaining what we are and being able to carry it out while respecting each other, and assuming that there is not necessarily an unbalanced relationship”. 

Influence at all levels, including university cooperation

In addition to the general attractiveness strategy and the foreign trade strategy, Macron wants to continue “the work that has been started and is being strengthened about schools and education”. In this respect, he welcomed the reform of the AEFE, which has made it possible to better educate “children from other countries around the world who wish to have access to the French language and the quality of our education”. In the same vein, he added that “we are going to continue to invest, to support and to increase cooperation” and in particular “to further strengthen our university cooperation with actors in key countries for us in this regard”. 

According to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, education “must also remain at the heart of our concerns: we will strengthen the network of French-style teaching excellence, through the network of French schools abroad” which is “one of our best vectors for expanding the French-speaking world and a way of seeing the world”. And, she added that “our objective must also be to put France back on the podium of most attractive nations for international students”.

New forms of cultural partnerships

Another point of the strategy of influence: culture. To develop influence, the diplomatic network has “a key role with the French Institute, the supervising entity”. But, Macron highlighted that the new cultural projects will have to be built on a “spirit of partnership between equals”. In order to change the way “public opinion and young people” look at France, “we must also increase our cooperation in the cultural and creative industry, in heritage, and succeed in using partnership forms that we reinvest in”.

A new perception of France through sports

Sports “must also be at the heart of this influence agenda”, insofar as the organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in France in 2024 is an “unprecedented moment of mobilisation of our entire network”. It will be “a unique diplomatic and protocol event organised in Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis, Marseille, French Polynesia and in all the territories that are mobilised around this event”. Thus, according to the President, “with the African continent, with the Asian continent, with the Latin American continent, the sports and educational strategy is a lever for creating common projects”, especially as sports also has the capacity to “bring value to our diasporas”, which represents “a complete change in the perception of France”. 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs added that 70 embassies are already involved in this major event via the “Terre des Jeux” label.