CHALLENGING TIMES

By Ina Stašević, Croatia, Europe: A few months ago Fabien Guillaume Edmond Fieschi was appointed as the new ambassador of the Republic of France to the Republic of Croatia. On this occasion, I spoke with His Excellency in the embassy in Zagreb/Croatia

Today we live in much more dangerous times than before, war conflicts (Ukraine, the Middle East and other hotspots), economic and climate problems, natural disasters… all of this threatens global escalation with unfathomable consequences for the whole world. What do you see as the biggest challenges in the world, and where is the way out of it all?

If you look at the very big picture, climate change is the biggest challenge of our time, because we know that without a strong commitment and huge efforts starting now at the level of States but also individuals to reduce emissions and keep the rise of temperatures under control, the consequences for us and future generations will be inescapable. As for the geopolitical challenges, I have just finished reading the memoirs of Jean Monnet, the “founding father” of the European Union as we know it today: if we have a clear vision, confidence in our democratic values, an unwavering commitment to practice and defend them, and a focus on pragmatic measures that can advance our joint interests, we shall overcome those challenges.

From the first day of the war in Ukraine, Europeans have shown deep solidarity and unity. Why is it so important to be committed to helping Ukraine defend itself in this war ? The Western border of Ukraine is only 1000km away from Strasbourg, and in the case of Croatia I think it’s only 600km, we should not forget it. Ukrainians have been brutally attacked by Russia because they want to live in a liberal democracy and to decide by themselves if the future prosperity and security of their country will be better guaranteed by becoming member of EU and NATO. Through Ukraine, this is a sovereign country that is attacked, but it is also our way of life, our way of solving problems through peaceful discussions and cooperation, and our own sovereignty that are threatened. As President Macron said, we cannot afford to let Putin’s Russia win and impose its will on Ukraine.

Your country ranks third in the world in terms of diplomatic connections with 163 embassies, 113 consular services... What are the challenges facing French diplomacy today ? France is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and has been a contributor to world peace and development, through making proposals and organising international conferences for tackling regional conflicts or global issues such as climate change, and through its leadership and participation in UN, EU and NATO missions, such as Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina and KFOR in Kosovo. Our large diplomatic network supports those actions by providing accurate information to headquarters and building a confident dialogue with all countries in the world. One of the biggest challenges that all diplomacies face today is the impact of new information technologies: they offer opportunities, but also risks of manipulations and distortions that can serve malign intentions. Diplomats also have to adapt and make sure they do not speak only to a limited number of officials but reach out to a greater diversity of actors who contribute to the formation of opinions and of policies.