Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs;
Credit: SIP
Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has confirmed that Minister Jean Asselborn is visiting Niamey, the capital city of Niger, today and tomorrow, 1 and 2 April 2021.
Minister Asselborn will participate along with France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves le Drian, at the solemn inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President of the Republic of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, who issued personal invitations to both ministers.
Following the presidential and legislative elections held on 27 December 2020 and 21 February 2021, the inauguration of President Bazoum, a long-time colleague and friend of the head of Luxembourg's diplomacy, will mark the first transfer of peaceful and democratic power in Niger since its independence in 1960.
Luxembourg and Niger maintain privileged relations, given that Niger is one of the partner countries of Luxembourg cooperation and that the Sahel has been one of the priority regions of Luxembourg foreign policy for more than 30 years.
As part of the visit to Niamey, Minister Asselborn and his French counterpart will also have the opportunity to meet with General Abou Tarka of the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace in order to continue discussions on the Coalition for Sahel. Finally, Minister Asselborn will take the opportunity of his trip to the Nigerien capital to visit an emergency shelter project of the Luxembourg Red Cross which has made it possible to relocate victims following the historic floods of 2020.
The joint travel of the Foreign Ministers of France and Luxembourg is organised and supported by the French authorities, for which Minister Asselborn has thanked his counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
