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France’s Macron responds to UK foreign minister refusing to call him Britain’s friend

French President Emmanuel Macron responded on Friday (August 26) to the British foreign secretary refusing to call him a friend of Britain in response to a question put to her at a Conservative Party leadership event, according to the Anadolu Agency.
Liz Truss’s remark came as she was asked if Mr Macron was a "friend or foe" of the UK at a Tory leadership hustings.
She added that if elected PM she would judge him on "deeds not words".
Her response received applause inside the event hall packed with the party faithful, but was condemned by a range of people outside.
Truss’ opponent for the leadership of the Conservative Party and contender for Britain’s next prime minister, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, replied to the same question by immediately saying Macron was a “friend” of Britain.
The UK and France have clashed over several issues in recent years, including migrant boat crossings in the Channel, a military pact between Britain, the US and Australia, and Brexit measures involving Northern Ireland. Mr Macron has sometimes publicly criticised the Conservative government's approach.

Today, Macron weighed in on Truss’ controversial response.
"If I were asked the question, this is roughly how I'm going to answer you - whichever person is being considered and whatever the future leadership in Britain, I don't hesitate one second. The United Kingdom is France's friend,” he said.
"If, between us as French and British people, we aren't able to say if we're friends or foes - the term isn't neutral - we're heading towards serious problems,” he added.
'The jury's out': UK's Liz Truss criticised over 'Macron, friend or foe?' reply
"So yes, certainly, let me say that the British people, the United Kingdom is a friendly, strong, ally nation, regardless of its leaders, and sometimes in spite of and beyond its leaders, or any potential slip-ups they make when playing to the gallery," the French president said.
Britain’s outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he mixed French and English and told local media that Macron was a very good friend of Britain.
“Emmanuel Macron est un tres bon buddy de notre pays," Johnson said.
"I think the relations between the UK and France are of huge importance. They have been very good for a long time, ever since the Napoleonic era basically, and I think we should celebrate that,” he added.
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"As for Emmanuel, I've had very good relations with him and I can tell you something: he's a great, great fan of our country,” Johnson added.
Members of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party are currently voting to decide on their next leader, who will also become the next prime minister.
Truss is leading in internal Conservative Party membership polls by some margin, though Sunak led in the first stage of the contest with Conservative Party lawmakers.
The new leader of the Conservative Party, and in turn prime minister, will be announced on Sept. 5.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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