Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 11:33
Comments collected by Adil ZAARI JABIRI.
Paris – Since joining the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in 1981, Morocco has positioned itself as a key player, underlined Oria Vande Weghe, spokesperson for the Secretary General of the OIF.
”Morocco contributes to the institutional life of the Francophonie, by playing an active role in the work of the Bodies,” said the Director of Communications of the OIF in an interview with MAP, on the occasion of the 19th Francophonie Summit, which opens on Friday at the Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, north of the capital, before continuing the next day at the Grand Palais in Paris.
This dynamism testifies to the Kingdom’s desire to “contribute to the promotion of the founding values of the OIF, such as cultural diversity, multilingualism and international cooperation”, she noted, stressing that Morocco is ”a key player in the promotion of the French language and French-speaking culture in Africa”.
The spokesperson for the Secretary General of the OIF explained, in this context, that French-speaking African countries are making a “major” contribution to the theme of the 19th Summit – “Create, innovate and undertake in French” – because ”Africa, which has more than 60% of French speakers in the world, plays a central role in the dynamism of the French language”.
French-speaking Africa is full of talent, both in the field of entrepreneurship and in innovation and creative industries, she rejoiced, noting that these young African entrepreneurs and innovators shine every day by developing solutions adapted to local realities, while participating in the development of new technologies and digital economies.
”At the OIF, we believe that these talents deserve to be further valued, which we strive to do by supporting them through our programming,” explained the spokesperson.
She affirmed that the Francophonie Summit will, moreover, highlight concrete examples through ”FrancoTech”, the French-language innovation fair, where many French-speaking African start-ups will have the opportunity to present their innovative solutions. By promoting collaboration between African actors and other members of the French-speaking space, the Summit, she added, offers “a unique platform” to strengthen commercial exchanges and promote entrepreneurship in French, particularly among young people, who represent the future of the Francophonie.
Ms. Vande Weghe also indicated that the 19th Francophonie Summit is adopting a new format which aims to boost exchanges by reorganizing institutional discussions to encourage direct involvement of heads of state and government around the central theme of the Summit. .
Through round tables and thematic debates, this new framework makes it possible to create a “more fluid and more impactful” dialogue, in line with the contemporary challenges of the Francophonie, she explained.
This year, a major innovation will be the active participation of young people in the work of the Summit, she continued, noting that for the first time, a delegation of young French-speaking people will take part in the thematic plenary session entitled ”Create, innovate and undertake in French for youth employment”.
These young people, added the spokesperson, will have the honor of sitting alongside heads of state and government, contributing directly to strategic discussions on employment and the future of young people in the French-speaking world.
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