Who will represent the EU and where? Europe is coming of age in 8 out of 10 countries
(BRUSSELS2, exclusive) The delegations of the European Union take on a little more weight in the second half of 2011. European diplomats - placed directly under the High Representative of the EU, Catherine Ashton - will thus ensure the representation of the EU in 128 countries out of 166 listed, i.e. 8 countries out of 10. In other words, in 7 countries more than in the first half.
In most of the present hot spots of the globe (Afghanistan, Congo, Syria, Yemen), an EU delegation is therefore on the front line. This does not detract from the foreign policy of the Member States which remain free of their diplomatic presence (the closure of embassies is more linked to budgetary constraints). Quite simply, the EU thus shows itself capable of representing itself alone and not through the intermediary of a Member State.
There are thus only 38 countries left where the EU is still represented by one of its Member States; in half of these countries (17 exactly) there is an EU embassy.
Poland - which holds the rotating presidency of the EU - will thus be permanently in Belarus, North Korea, Cuba, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Qatar, ... in Saint Headquarters and in Turkmenistan; France in Burma, Comoros, Oman and Suriname; the United Kingdom in Brunei or the Seychelles; the Czech Republic in Mongolia; Denmark to Nepal, ....
In 5 of them (Belarus, Cambodia, Guatemala, Nepal, Uzbekistan), the EU Delegation should take over as soon as possible.
Note that in Libya, there remains a question mark. All member states - or almost - have "suspended" their embassies in Tripoli, including Poland, which holds the rotating presidency. And Hungary, which has maintained a minimum of permanence for several months, does not seem ready to continue. For its part, the EU has opened a "technical office" in Benghazi.
Everything is taking place against the backdrop of the redeployment of the diplomatic presence of several countries due to budgetary scarcity. Thus Sweden should close three diplomatic posts by the end of the year in Angola, Argentina and Malaysia. While the Czech Republic has already closed its post in Kenya (it is the ambassador residing in Ethiopia who takes over). Finland closes its post in Venezuela but opens a representation in Algeria. etc
Find out more: Country by country, who ensures the permanence of the EU? Which of the 27 has an embassy? see the "B2 docs"
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