French Ambassador Étienne Talks Afghanistan, France's "Health Pass" And What He Really Thinks Of Gov. Baker

In a rare dignified moment for GBH’s Boston Public Radio, hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan were joined Thursday by Philippe Étienne, the French ambassador to the United States working in Washington, D.C.

Massachusetts is just the latest stop on Étienne’s tour through New England, and he joined the show by Zoom from Boston’s Consulate General of France to talk about America’s exit from Afghanistan, the state of COVID-19 in France and his firsthand impression of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

The conversation began with discussion of the formal close to America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan. On the subject of Afghans living under Taliban rule, Étienne said he believes it’s crucial that Western nations do everything in their power, diplomatically, to ensure Afghan citizens retain basic freedoms. He recalled the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, saying “terrorism remains, today, a very very important challenge.”

“We have to work very much with our international partners,” he said, “so that Afghanistan cannot become, again, a safe haven for terrorist organizations. This is one of our main goals.”

Also critical, he said, is ensuring open travel for Afghan citizens, and the protection of basic human rights for the country’s women and girls.

“If the new government in Afghanistan will want to have normal recognition and cooperations with us, they know [our criteria],” he said. “We must insist on that, and we will effectively use our influence to reach these goals.”

The three also spoke at length about the state of COVID-19 in France, as citizens adjust to President Emmanuel Macron’s mandate of “health passes” to enter the majority of public spaces, including restaurants, gyms and sports stadiums.

“It worked well,” Étienne said. “We have seen a new rise in the rate of vaccination, and now the rate of vaccination is higher in France than in most other countries — even the U.S. or other European countries.”

Indeed, vaccination has reached a whopping 88% among eligible French residents, and around 75% within the total population. Still, there have been widespread protests by those frustrated with the mandate. Those protests peaked in August, with hundreds of thousands taking to the street to express their outrage.

“I would say that the number of people who take to the streets every Saturday… the number is going down,” Étienne said. “And the vast majority of the French population has accepted this idea.

“By the way,” he added, “it is one of the reasons we do not understand why the travel ban against Europe on the U.S. side is still enforced, considering the rate of vaccination.”

U.S. policy currently bars the majority of French citizens from entering the U.S. Only those with NIE status, or National Interest Exception status, are permitted to enter its borders, granted to individuals in groups such as government officials, students, academics and public health professionals.

“We would really think the time is ripe for allowing vaccinated Europeans again into the U.S.,” Étienne said.

That subject, he noted, was one he broached at a Thursday meeting with Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker. Braude pressed the ambassador to “tell the truth” about his impression of the governor, to which Étienne remained diplomatic and positive, albeit slightly confused by the question.

Commending Baker for what he described as “a deep knowledge, not only of the subjects [of policy] but on how you implement them practically,” Étienne said it was “a privilege I had, because the governors here play such an important role.”