"Launching negotiations with the Philippines will represent an important milestone in the EU-Philippine relations and a further evidence of the EU's commitment to Southeast Asia."

This support is financed under the European Neighbourhood Instrument in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The intensifying conflict in Afghanistan is taking a toll on civilians in both urban and rural areas and the country is again facing a critical humanitarian crisis.

In response to an invitation from the Ugandan authorities, the European Union will deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Uganda to observe the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections which are scheduled for 18 February. This will be the third time that the European Union observes elections in Uganda – previous missions took place in 2006 and 2011 - which reflects the EU's sustained commitment to supporting credible, transparent and inclusive elections in the country.

Andrius Krivas, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the extraordinary high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on 18 December where by unanimously adopting Resolution No 2254 the UN Security Council called for accelerated efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Syria as soon as possible.

Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrius Krivas took part in the high-level event, on 17 December, organised by the United States that is currently holding the presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on countering the financing of terrorism.

Brussels will on December 18th officially announce that Ukraine and Georgia have fulfilled the requirements for visa-free travels to the European Union (EU), a Lithuanian diplomat said.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė is attending the European Council to consider a proposal to set up a European Border and Coast Guard which will help to ensure an effective response to the migration crisis.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has allocated EUR 10,000 in humanitarian aid to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for children affected by Ethiopia's growing food crisis.

On 14 December, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius participated in the EU's Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. The Ministers began their debate by discussing prospects for relations between the European Union and its Eastern neighbours. Issues related to the fight against terrorism and the situation in Libya also dominated the agenda.