Leaders of French-speaking countries hold summit
Bloc to discuss debt relief, migration, food and energy crises
Leaders of French-speaking countries gathered on Saturday on a Tunisian island to discuss debt relief, migration, food and energy shortages amid a soaring cost-of-living crisis across Africa, Europe and the Middle East due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the presidents of eight African nations were attending the 18th biannual meeting of the 88-member International Organisation of Francophonie, which promotes relations among nations that use French as their primary language.
European Council President Charles Michel also was in Tunisia for the two-day summit, the organisation’s first gathering in three years following pandemic lockdowns.
Louise Mushikiwabo, the group’s secretary-general and Rwanda’s former foreign minister, said the participants planned to issue a final declaration on major political, social and economic issues after the summit ended, yesteerdy.
They will also focus on “ways to boost the use of the French language around Europe and in international institutions as its use declines compared to English,” Mushikiwabo said.
The summit and a two-day meeting of the organisation’s economic forum next week are taking place amid tight security. Tunisia has been in the grip of a political and economic crisis.
In preparation for the meetings, authorities gave Djerba a makeover, building new roads and improving infrastructure around the island