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From 5 to 9 September, Belgium's Ambassadors, Consuls-General and Permanent Representatives to international institutions will meet in Brussels for the Diplomatic Contact Days at the Egmont Palace.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diplomatic Contact Days could not be organised (except in virtual form) for the last two years. This year also, precautions will be maintained, taking into account the strict COVID rules still in force in several countries abroad.

Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, launched the new bilateral cooperation programme together with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh on Thursday 12 May.

Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, is going on a working visit to Palestine from 9 to 13 May. Her focus is to draw attention to the need for quality protection for Palestinians living under occupation and to bring a perspective on a more promising future for Palestinian youth and women.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, Meryame Kitir, will pay a working visit to Cape Town, South Africa, from 10 to 13 February. The visit will focus on local production of vaccines and the Minister will be accompanied by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Belgian virologist Marc van Ranst. Minister Kitir emphasises the importance of international solidarity and science. After all, exchanging knowledge and science…

On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès and Minister for Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir reiterate Belgium's commitment to the protection and promotion of all human rights for everyone. The principles of equality and non-discrimination are at the heart of human rights. Both Ministers therefore support the view of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet: "This means that we accept…

25 November 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the international campaign '16 days of activism against gender-based violence'. This campaign runs from 25 November (International Day against Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day) and aims at eradicating violence against women and girls worldwide.Belgium strives for a holistic approach to gender-based violence, focusing on the prevention of violence and the questioning of gender norms and stereotypes, the…

Minister for Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, Meryame Kitir, is going on a working visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from November 23 to 28. The visit focuses on women's rights, gender equality and gender-based violence. Meetings with Congolese women and local and international organizations working on these topics will be central to the visit.

The Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, Meryame Kitir, is making additional efforts to strengthen local vaccine production in Senegal. She made the announcement while on a working visit to the country. Yesterday, M. Kitir visited a number of projects in the health sector, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During her working visit to Burkina Faso on 26 October, Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, has presented the Belgian regional climate programme for the Sahel. It is the first time that Belgium invests in a regional programme with a specific focus on international climate action.Development Minister Meryame Kitir is on a working visit in the Sahel where local authorities, civil society and international partners are showing her the impact of climate…

Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, will visit Burkina Faso from 24 to 26 October and Senegal from 27 to 30 October. The working visit will mainly focus on international climate action. Minister Kitir will meet with key figures from both countries - national authorities, NGOs and humanitarian organisations – that Kitir wants to support through constructive partnerships (Pictures: Belga)