Since joining the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in 1981, Morocco has positioned itself as a key player, stressed Oria Vande weghe, spokesperson for the OIF Secretary General.
"Morocco contributes to La Francophonie’s institutional life, by playing an active role in the work of its bodies,” said the OIF's Communications Director 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 in Villers-Cotterêts, north of the capital, before continuing the following day at the Grand Palais in Paris.
This momentum 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, emphasizing that Morocco is “a key player in the promotion of the French language and Francophone culture in Africa.”
The spokesperson for the OIF Secretary General explained, in this context, that French-speaking African countries are making a “major” contribution to the theme of the 19th Summit – “Creating, innovating and undertaking in French” – because “Africa, which accounts for over 60% of the world's French speakers, plays a central role in the dynamism of the French language”.
French-speaking Africa is brimming with talent, both in the field of entrepreneurship and in innovation and the creative industries, she enthused, noting that these young African entrepreneurs and innovators distinguish themselves every day by developing solutions adapted to local realities, while also participating in the growth of new technologies and digital economies.
“At the OIF, we believe that these talents deserve to be given greater prominence, which is what we're striving to do by supporting them through our programming,” explained the OIF official.
She added that the Francophonie Summit will showcase concrete examples through “FrancoTech”, the French-language innovation fair, where numerous French-speaking African start-ups will have the opportunity to present their innovative solutions. By fostering collaboration between African players and other members of the Francophone space, the Summit, she added, offers “a unique platform” for strengthening trade and promoting entrepreneurship in French, particularly among young people, who represent the future of the Francophonie.
Vande weghe also pointed out that the 19th Francophonie Summit is adopting a new format aimed at energizing exchanges by reorganizing institutional discussions to encourage the direct involvement of heads of state and government around the Summit's central theme.
Through round tables and thematic debates, this new framework will create a “more fluid and impactful” dialogue, in line with the contemporary challenges facing the Francophonie, she explained.
