President Nicolás Maduro and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, talk at the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, November 7, 2022. Photo: Presidential Press (Venezuela).
On Monday, November 7, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro held a meeting with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. According to Venezuela’s Presidential Press release, the rapprochement takes place amid the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in an effort to normalize bilateral relations.
At the meeting, the leaders discussed the bilateral relationship between Venezuela and France and actions to combat climate change.
“Excellent handshake with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, in the context of COP27, which is undoubtedly a meeting point between the governments and countries of the world,” President Maduro wrote on Twitter. “The doors of Venezuela are open to the French people.”
Excelente apretón de manos con el Presidente de Francia Emmanuel Macron, en el marco de la #COP27, que es sin duda un punto de encuentro entre los gobiernos y países del mundo. Las puertas de Venezuela están abiertas para el pueblo francés. pic.twitter.com/iOQJtvidqC
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) November 7, 2022
During the conversation, Macron expressed his desire to talk extensively with the Venezuelan president. “I would love it if we could talk a little more and begin bilateral work that is useful for the country and the region,” said the French president.
Coincident positions
Regarding the efforts to counteract the effects of the climate emergency, President Maduro emphasized that he will explain the need to accelerate the steps to comply with previously signed agreements.
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In a coincident position, President Macron indicated that he will ratify the commitments made by France in the Paris Agreement (2015) to face climate change and in the Glasgow Pact (2021) to support countries in the process of development.
The will to reestablish friendly alliances between the two nations was evidenced last July when the Venezuela-France Parliamentary Friendship Group supported reestablishing political and diplomatic relations under the principles of sovereignty and mutual respect.
The friendly ties between Venezuela and France are rooted in the figure of General Francisco de Miranda, a hero of Venezuelan independence who also participated in the French Revolution, and Liberator Simón Bolívar’s visits to Paris and Amiens between 1801 and 1806.
In the context of the high-level segment of COP27, President Nicolás Maduro has held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne and President of the Republic of Suriname Chan Santokhi.
Spirit of Chávez alive at COP27
Earlier this Monday, amid the dynamics of the COP27, President Maduro highlighted on Twitter that the spirit of Commander Hugo Chávez is more alive than ever in this summit.
El espíritu de Chávez hoy está más vivo que nunca, en la 27ª Conferencia sobre el Cambio Climático. Es el momento de tomar acciones concretas en función de salvaguardar, proteger y garantizar la continuidad de la vida humana y la diversidad natural en la tierra pic.twitter.com/xqMW35YQBO
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) November 7, 2022
“The spirit of Chávez is more alive today than ever at the 27th Conference on Climate Change. It is time to take concrete actions in order to safeguard, protect and guarantee the continuity of human life and natural diversity on Earth,” wrote Maduro from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
