French FM Colonna lauds climate commitments in UN address
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, French Foreign Minister Catherina Colonna on Thursday pledged €1.6bn to the UN's flagship Green Climate Fund.
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Created in 2010, the Green Climate Fund has become one of the world's most important solidarity mechanisms when it comes to the fight against climate change.
Colonna also said France believed in "African solutions for African crises", describing her country as a "compassionate power".
In terms of food security, France said it would double its contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP). French food aid has risen to almost one billion euros, benefiting 67 countries, Colonna underlined.
The UN General Assembly which opened on 19 September in New York and will last a week.
Ukrainian grain imports
Colonna earlier said that Poland's decision to ban Ukrainian grain imports was unjustified amid rising tensions between the two eastern European countries.
The European Union announced last week it was ending temporary restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports into five countries, including Poland. But Warsaw said it would continue enforcing the ban unilaterally, angering its war-torn ally and neighbor.
"These tensions are regrettable," Colonna told French news agency AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Citing an EU study, Colonna said that Ukrainian grain imports would not disrupt the market or cripple European farmers.
"There is no market upheaval and there are perhaps internal political considerations on the part of some of our partners which, unfortunately, pushes them to have this position that nothing justifies."
(with newswires)
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