The Francophonie is called upon to help shape a renewed form of multilateralism grounded in dialogue, solidarity and cooperation among peoples, speakers at the opening ceremony of the 20th Francophonie Summit (OIF) said on Sunday in Phnom Penh.
The Francophonie represents a privileged framework for bringing regions, cultures and peoples closer together, with its strength lying in its ability to unite countries with different histories and realities around shared values, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in his address.
This community, Manet noted, is called upon to give practical expression to these shared values in an international context marked by fragmentation and eroding trust.
Referring to Cambodia’s historical experience, the Prime Minister stressed the need to preserve peace, promote respect for international law and prioritise dialogue in resolving disputes. “Cambodia speaks of peace because it has experienced war. We know what war destroys and what peace makes possible,” he said, calling for the Francophonie to become a space where diversity serves as a source of mutual enrichment and cooperation contributes to lasting stability.
French President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, recalled the universal and diverse nature of the Francophonie, which brings together countries from five continents around a common language without erasing the diversity of their identities and cultures, stressing the importance of preserving the Organisation’s cohesion.
“The expansion of the Francophonie requires us to build consensus in order to preserve unity,” he said, highlighting opportunities for cooperation in education, training, culture and the economy, as well as challenges relating to artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty.
In this regard, he called for greater consideration of linguistic diversity in the development of digital technologies, stronger action against disinformation and hate speech, and expanded economic exchanges and entrepreneurship across the French-speaking world.
OIF Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo stressed the need to translate Francophone values into concrete actions that benefit populations, noting that the Organisation’s credibility also depends on its ability to provide tangible responses to citizens’ expectations.
She recalled ongoing efforts to strengthen the OIF’s presence on the ground and promote cooperation programmes in training, entrepreneurship and economic exchanges, calling for greater support for initiatives that generate jobs and opportunities.
Mushikiwabo also advocated greater participation by youth and women in development initiatives and decision-making processes, stressing that peace and prosperity could not be sustained without their full involvement.
Hosted by Cambodia for the first time, the 20th Francophonie Summit is being held on November 15-16 in Phnom Penh under the theme “Investing in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Lasting Stability”.
The gathering brings together heads of state and government from the 90 OIF member states and governments, nearly three decades after the Hanoi Summit, held in 1997, which was the previous Francophonie Summit hosted in Southeast Asia.
Discussions at the Summit focus, in particular, on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, education, youth employment, gender equality, innovation and digital governance. They are also expected to lead to the adoption of the Phnom Penh Declaration and several other documents aimed at translating the commitments of members of the Francophone community into concrete action.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.