The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to inform the general public that His Excellency Arnaud de Sury, Non-Resident Ambassador of France to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas paid a First Arrival Courtesy Call on the Honourable Frederick A. Mitchell, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, 19 November 2021. Accompanying His Excellency was Mr Dominique Lefevre, Honorary Consul of France in The Bahamas. The Minister was accompanied by Her Excellency Sharon Brennen-Haylock, Director-General of the Ministry.

During the Call, they discussed several matters of mutual interest, which included recognising and thanking France for its efforts on the issues of climate change, which France has championed, by example, through the Paris Agreement in 2015; the humanitarian assistance and relief provided to The Bahamas following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian; the upcoming One Ocean Summit – the first international summit on oceans – to be hosted by France in Brest in February 2022; financial services, which saw France’s decision to remove The Bahamas from the list of non-cooperative states and territories in tax matters, in recognition of the effort by The Bahamas Government; as well as a similar decision by the European Union; technical assistance in French language and cultural training, a key component in the development of Bahamian Foreign Service Officers; and potential areas of mutual cooperation in the areas of the marine and territorial environment, and defence.

Additionally addressed was the grave situation in Haiti, its impact on The Bahamas and other parts of Hemisphere, and finding common ground to the escalating condition in that country in conjunction with the wishes of the Haitian people.

Both sides also addressed deepening the partnership that exists between the two countries. In that connection, the Minister informed that the Fiftieth Anniversary of Independence of The Bahamas was coming up in 2023, with the intention that what connects the two countries might be heightened during the celebration.

His Excellency Arnaud de Sury, Non-Resident Ambassador of France to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and the Honourable Frederick A. Mitchell, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service.

Director-General Sharon Brennen-Haylock, His Excellency Arnaud de Sury, Non-Resident Ambassador of France to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Honourable Frederick A. Mitchell, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, Mr Dominique Lefevre, Honorary Consul of France, and Under Secretary Eugene Torchon-Newry.