Developments in Yemen, in particular recent unilateral measures are further polarising the situation on the ground, challenging the undertakings by all sides to achieve an inclusive political solution to the conflict and creating serious obstacles to the UN mediation efforts. The Yemeni civilian population is the main victim of the dire economic and humanitarian situation but the negative impact of this prolonged crisis is increasingly felt in the wider region.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė extended condolences on behalf of the Lithuanian people and personally to acting President Jocelerme Privert of Haiti over the loss of hundreds of lives in the hurricane.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania strongly condemns blowing up of a car belonging to a Georgian Member of Parliament in Tbilisi. Some people were injured in an explosion. Such incidents can destabilize the situation in the country during the democratic pre-election period.

Action to stop massacres in Syria, implement migration policies and border controls, and ensure a balanced approach to trade deals while defending EU industry are the key challenges that EU heads of state or government should tackle at their 20-21 October meeting in Brussels, said Parliament’s political group leaders in a debate with the Slovak Council Presidency and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

The UNFCCC Paris Agreement on fighting climate change, the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal, will come into force next month, having met the necessary conditions much earlier than predicted, as the European Parliament agreed to its ratification by the European Union in a historic vote on Tuesday. The EU will join the US, China and India, other global players and major greenhouse gas emitters, at a November meeting of Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) in Marrakesh.

Statement by the High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on an emergency humanitarian initiative for Aleppo.

On 30 September 2016, in view of the gravity of the situation, the Council prolonged the sanctions against Libya targeting three persons for six months.

On 29 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius congratulated the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Nasser Judeh on his re-appointment as the Jordanian Foreign Minister. The new Cabinet led by the Prime Minister Hani Mulki was sworn in before King Abdullah II on 28 September.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė is leaving for Jerusalem to attend the funeral of Shimon Peres, former President of Israel and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius together with his colleagues from Latvia and Estonia visited Reykjavik on 25-26 September on the invitation of Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttirto and took part in the events and meetings to mark the 25th anniversary of reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Iceland and the Baltic states. Mr Minister noted that Iceland was the first country to recognise the state of Lithuania and expressed his gratitude to the people of Iceland for their support and solidarity on Lithuania’s road to freedom, democracy, and establishment of full-fledged statehood.