Speaking to EU ambassadors to third countries on Monday 3 September, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini called for more multilateralism in international relations.
One of the priorities of the EU ambassadors this year will be to deepen and broaden the network of partnerships as part of multilateral cooperation. "We are not alone in our work for a more cooperative global order and we should work on this", Mogherini said, adding that the EU had "good friends and partners in the four corners of the world".
In her view, "the core" of the European approach to multilateralism is "partnerships based on an equal footing, recognising the political value of our interlocutors, (and) showing respect".
She highlighted Africa. "Africa is becoming a privileged partner for the European Union to shape the world of tomorrow and also to shape a more equal global order. This is a change in mind set; this is a change in policy. This is what we have in mind when we talk about multilateralism – the idea of regions working together", she said.
She also highlighted the EU's place in the world. In Mogherini's view, the EU is and can be "the reference point in the whole world". "Because, throughout the world, there is a growing demand for a strong presence from Europe in global business", she said.
She noted a demand for a cooperative global power, for a reliable partnership, which respects its commitments and international standards, and, "in many places in the world", for a partnership equipped with principles that places human rights and sustainable development at the heart of its agenda.
"We are ready" to be a "major global actor", Mogherini said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)