I don’t believe there is a more appropriate setting than Toulon to host the French Summer Defence Conference! In point of fact, Toulon’s symbiotic relationship with “our” Navy is long standing. Allow me to recall that the “modern” military history of this port began when Louis XII had the Royal Tower built here in 1514, followed by Louis XIV and Colbert, who improved the two docks during the period of 1670-1680, and then construction of the Mourillon arsenal, which began in 1700, right at the outset of the 18th century.
Toulon’s military port is now the main French naval base and the largest military port in the Mediterranean. As we head into the 21st century, it is home to most of the Naval Action Force, which includes the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the Mistral, Tonnerre and Dixmude amphibious assault ships, and the six Rubis-class, nuclear attack submarines. This means that, all together, more than 60% of the French Navy’s tonnage calls Toulon its home port. Maintained by the Toulon defence base support group, created in 2011, this city is now France’s largest national defence base. The French Navy and its related infrastructure comprise, for Toulon, a veritable “city within the city”. In practical terms, the navy base, divided into five main zones, each with access to the sea, covers 268 hectares and 10 kilometres of coastline, and some 12,000 people work there on a daily basis.
Toulon is proud of its Royal Tower, of its sphere of influence, and of the key role it plays in maintaining peace and security around the world. The entire city holds its breath when the warships set sail and rejoices when its sons and daughters return to port and re-join their families, their mission accomplished.
France is one of the major maritime countries: it has the 2nd largest maritime area worldwide, with an exclusive economic zone of more than 11 million square kilometres, just less than the United States and well ahead of Australia, which owns the largest underwater area. For reasons of both strength and responsibility, we therefore must maintain a first-rate navy, especially when nations such as China, Russia and India continue to increase the power of their armed forces.
In these especially problematic times, when many parts of the world are experiencing conflicts, tensions and massive civil migrations of people desperately taking to the world’s seas, the French Navy is more than ever a foundation that international policy makers know they can count on.
Welcome to Toulon everyone, and have a profitable conference.