ECFR’s World in 30 Minutes: UN secretary-general candidacy
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with Somini Sengupta, UN correspondent for the New York Times, Richard Gowan, ECFR Senior Policy Fellow, and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil,…
Experts & Staff
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil
ECFR Alumni · Head, ECFR Paris
Senior Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
Security crisis management; multilateralism and the United Nations; European foreign policy; transatlantic relations; human rights; international law and justice; Middle East and North Africa; French foreign policy
Languages
French, English, Spanish
Biography
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil was a senior policy fellow and head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations until June 2019. His topics of focus include defence and security affairs, French foreign policy, the UN, and the Middle East and North Africa.
From 2011 to 2015 Lafont Rapnouil headed the Political Affairs Division of the Department for UN affairs at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development; in this capacity, he was responsible for French foreign policy at the United Nations Security Council, including peacekeeping and sanctions. Prior to that, he held various postings within the French diplomatic service, including in Washington and at the Policy Planning Staff (Centre d’Analyse, de Prévision et de Stratégie). Lafont Rapnouil was also a rapporteur for both French White papers on Defence and National Security and on Foreign and European Policy (2008). From 2008 to 2010, he was a Visiting Fellow at the Europe Programme of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank.
France and Germany: Europe’s stalling engine
Despite Europe's various crises, the bond of cooperation between France and Germany has not been in evidence
From sanctions to cooperation: what kind of relations with Russia ?
Conférence du jeudi 7 avril sur les relations entre l'Union européenne et la Russie. Avec: – Sylvie Kauffmann, directrice éditoriale Le Monde –…
View from Paris: On a martial footing
France is 'at war' with terrorists, but the government faces the prospect of being rhetorically outgunned by the opposition
ECFR’s World in 30 Minutes: Brussels terror attacks
ECFR's director Mark Leonard speaks with Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, Head of ECFR's Paris office, Anthony Dworkin, Senior Policy Fellow, and Nick Witney, co-director of…
Tell me about this
Podcast du 17 février de Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, directeur du bureau parisien de l'ECFR, à EuradioNantes sur la situation du Brexit
Is Europe prepared to pay a price for its defence ?
Conférence du mercredi 10 février 2016 à l'ENS portant sur la défense européenne et les problématiques de sécurité qui touchent l'Union Européenne actuellement. Avec Nick…
What role for Europe in resolving the Iranian-Saudi conflict?
BCM du mercredi 10 février 2016 portant sur le rôle de l'Europe dans la résolution du conflit entre l'Iran et l'Arabie saoudite. Avec Julien Barnes-Dacey,…
View from Paris: No veto on integration of the Eurozone
France will likely go along with the deal, but is cautious of any measures that would stymie future integration
Note to Berlin: Power and responsibility in foreign policy
If Germany is to take on the mantle of international leadership, it must prepare itself for the challenges and the responsibilities
Publications
Meeting the challenge of secondary sanctions
The EU and its member states should strengthen their sanctions policy and begin to build up their deterrence and resilience against secondary sanctions
Alone in the desert? How France can lead Europe in the Middle East
France sees the MENA region as a state for foreign policy and great power politics and an opportunity to shape global politics and punch above its weight
Keeping Europe safe after Brexit
The context Now is not the moment for either the European Union or the United Kingdom to risk allowing the political tensions around Brexit to…
Into Africa: China’s global security shift
China is taking on a new military role in Africa, seeking to boost its image as a great power that promotes peace and security worldwide
Articles
Diplomacy dies in darkness: Europe and information manipulation
“Information manipulation” or just plain “fake news”? How France is grappling with a very modern threat
Can Europe become a nuclear power?
Only if Europeans resume a serious debate about their responsibilities for their own security
Views from the capitals: Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran deal
We asked our national offices to outline how the E3, in cooperation with other EU partners, should respond to the JCPOA pull-out by the US
Views from the capitals: European dreams for 2018
We asked our national offices to outline their governments’ greatest hope and greatest fear for foreign and European policy in 2018.
Signal, constrain, and coerce: A more strategic use of sanctions
Sanctions are not a strategy by themselves, but a tool to be adapted to circumstances
France in Flux
The rise of Macron has transformed the French political landscape – but its final shape is still emerging
Views from the capitals: What to do about Turkey?
Can the EU-Turkey relationship be salvaged? Key EU capitals give their views
Macron’s Foreign Policy: Claiming the tradition
Macron’s inexperience means he needs to reassure the electorate that he can manage the national security state
French election candidates on the European test
All major candidates see the international situation through the lens of Europe
French elections: The demolition game heats up
So far, this French electoral cycle is something in between a roller coaster and a demolition game. The French political system is accustomed to crushing incumbents, but this time the destruction has been more inclusive
Specials
Eyes tight shut: European attitudes towards nuclear deterrence
Europeans remain unwilling to renew their thinking on nuclear deterrence, despite growing strategic instability. Their stated goal of “strategic autonomy” will remain an empty phrase until they engage seriously on this matter
New European Security Initiative
Edited by Ulrike Esther Franke, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil & Susi Dennison
Podcasts
Accès humanitaire et risques sécuritaires au Sahel
Podcast de notre BCM du 14 juin « Accès humanitaire et risques sécuritaires au Sahel » en présence de Lucile Grosjean, chargée de…
Le retour des combattants terroristes étrangers dans l’Union Européenne
Podcast de notre discussion du 28 mars « Le retour des combattants terroristes étrangers dans l’Union Européenne » en présence de Marc Hecker,…
Gilets Jaunes: A French crisis?
Mark Leonard speaks with Simon Kuper, Tara Varma and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil about the Yellow Vest Movement, and whetherit’s only a French phenomenon. The podcast…
Défense européenne : le couple franco-allemand au pied du mur
Podcast de notre discussion du 5 mars « Défense européenne : le couple franco-allemand au pied du mur » en présence d'Ulrike Esther…
Les élections européennes vues d’Allemagne
Podcast de notre BCM du 29 janvier « Les élections européennes vues d'Allemagne » en présence d'Almut Möller, directrice du bureau de l'ECFR…
The Aachen Treaty: A closer Franco-German relationship?
Anthony Dworkin steps in for Mark Leonard and speaks with Almut Möller, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil and Tom Nuttall about how significant the new treaty of friendship…
Les Européens peuvent-ils rester solidaires face à Donald Trump ?
Podcast de notre BCM du 19 octobre : « Les Européens peuvent-ils rester solidaires face à Donald Trump ? » avec Célia Belin, chercheuse invitée…
No clear victory in Syria: How Europe could leverage current dynamics
Syrie : Quel rôle pour l'Europe ? Discussion avec Julien Barnes-Dacey, directeur du programme MENA de l'ECFR et Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, directeur du bureau de…
The sanctions weapon
Mark Leonard speaks with Erica Moret and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil about European sanctions policies, secondary sanctions and counter measures. The podcast was recorded on the…
How are Europeans seeing Trump’s performance at the NATO summit?
Jeremy Shapiro covers for Mark Leonard and speaks with Ulrike Franke, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil and Piotr Buras, about what this means and what the Trump-Putin…
In the media
The Washington Post refers to Meeting the challenge of secondary sanctions study by ECFR
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil is quoted by L'Obs about the election of chinese candidate at the head of the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) of the United Nations.
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil quoted by Capital about the candidates for the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of th UN
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil quoted by Capital about the chinese candidate for the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of th UN
Manuel Lafont Rapnouil is quoted in “La Tribune” about the 3 candidates who run for the Food and Agiculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations