Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna spoke today by telephone with her Djiboutian counterpart, Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, about the situation in the Red Sea and Sudan.

Ms. Colonna reiterated the importance of respecting the freedom of navigation, which is a fundamental principle of international law, and said that France would continue to take all appropriate measures to guarantee safety at sea, as it did through the deployment of the French Navy frigate Languedoc. In this regard, the French and Djiboutian ministers reaffirmed their desire to work together to keep the situation in the Red Sea from escalating.

The French Minister also expressed her support for the mediation efforts conducted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), chaired by Djibouti, to bring about a ceasefire in Sudan and guarantee the flow of humanitarian aid and the resumption of the political transition process.