The 19th Francophonie Summit, which opens this Friday in France under the theme: "Create, Innovate, and Undertake in French," is being held in a new format. In addition to the ministerial segment and that of Heads of State and Government, the new format includes "a moment of exchange with young creators and entrepreneurs."
The new format of discussions at the Francophonie Summit, the highest body of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), aims "to reduce the linear institutional nature of discussions and promote greater involvement of Heads of State and Government around the central theme of the summit," according to the OIF.
This reorganization of the sessions allows the OIF to "directly benefit from the leaders' recommendations on the topics and areas of action it champions, thereby enriching its initiatives and strategic orientations," the same source highlights.
As the highest body of the OIF, the Summit brings together the 88 member states and governments of the organization to define the strategic directions of the Francophonie.
It also provides an opportunity to consider applications for membership from new states and governments and to elect the Secretary-General of the Francophonie for a four-year term.
The 2024 Summit will not be an elective one, as the last election was held in Djerba, Tunisia, in 2022.
The Francophonie's missions include promoting the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as the values of peace, democracy, and human rights. Additionally, it supports education, training, higher education and research, and the development of economic cooperation for sustainable development.
With 321 million speakers across five continents, French is the fifth most spoken language in the world and the third most used language in business.
