What Is "Francophone"?
Francophone comes from the word Francophonie, and refers
today to French speaking people around the world. The term Francophonie
appeared for the first time in 1880 in the writings of the French geographer
Onésime Reclus to designate the network of places where French
is spoken as a vehicular language. After the word came the institution
of Francophonie, thanks to its illustrious founding fathers (Léopold
Sédar Senghor, Habib Bourguiba and Hamani Diori) who, once their
countries became independent, found in the French language the basis
of a new type of relation with France and the francophone world.
Today, Francophonie offers the image of a geopolitical community that
extends over five continents. From Africa to America, from the Caribbean
to the Indian Ocean, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Francophonie is
spreading as a many-sided means of cooperation. Not a self-evident reality,
nevertheless, Francophonie has given rise to diverse interpretations.
Some consider it as an exemplary form of solidarity. Others see it as
a symbol of conscious or unconscious neocolonialism. Valorized by some
as a space of cultural and linguistic crossbreeding, as well as a setting
of literary and artistic vitality, Francophonie is denounced by others
as a machine that disrupts the coherence of national identities. While
for some it is a space of economic exchange, for many others it corresponds
to a myth that is far from reflecting the reality of things. The debate
takes on many different forms in the present context of a globalization
marked by tensions between otherness and diversity, as well as by conflict
between hegemonic identity and multiculturalism.
History of the Summits
History of Summits
As the Supreme body for multilateral Francophonie, the Francophone summit
brings together, every two years since 1986, Heads of State and Government
of countries using French as a common language.
1999 - 8th Francophone Summit in Moncton - from 3 to 5 September
In Moncton, Francophonie confirmed its ability to attract newcomers :
three new observers were welcomed to the summit (Lithuania, Slovenia and
the Czech Republic) while two observers acceded to Associated Member status
(Macedonia and Albania). Youth issues were chosen as the central topic
of the summit. Heads of State and Government committed themselves to the
better association of youth issues with Francophonie activities.
The Francophonie movement asserted itself as a privileged body for speaking
openly on issues relating to human rights and processes that support democracy.
Particular emphasis was placed on cultural diversity and at the same time
determination to continue the reform of instruments and procedures for
multilateral Francophone cooperation was reaffirmed.
1997 - 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi - from 14 to 16 November
On the occasion of their seventh meeting, the representatives of 49 Francophonie
States and governments, who aimed to focus their attention on economic
cooperation, in the end concentrated on conflict prevention in member
countries and made a commitment to cooperate with the international community
in order to guarantee the respect of human rights.
Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali was elected as the first Secretary General in
the history of the organisation. His mission was to ensure that the Agency
took on a more active political role with greater influence on the international
scene.
1995 - 6th Francophone Summit in Cotonou - from 2 to 4 December
Cotonou marked a turning point for Francophonie from the institutional
viewpoint. Its new institutions provided a political dimension on the
international scene :
creation of the General Secretariat for Francophonie
the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation became the Agency of
the Francophonie
creation of the position of General administrator of the Agency of the
Francophonie
revision of the Agency's charter which becomes the Charter of the Francophonie.
1993 - 5th Francophone Summit in Grand-Baie (Mauritius) - from 16 to 18
October
Participants decide to rename the Summit with "Conference of Heads
of State and Government Using French as a Common Language". They
recognised the economy as one of the elements that is indissociable from
a population's culture and so defined the parameters for economic cooperation
between Francophonie Member countries.
1991 - 4th Francophone Summit in Chaillot - from 19 to 21 November
A summit of "maturity and enlargement" according to the Summit
host, President Mitterrand. The Summit's almost fifty countries and governments
created new institutions and confirmed the role of the Agency for Cultural
and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) as main operator and secretariat in all
Francophone bodies.
1989 - 3rd Francophone Summit in Dakar - from 24 to 26 March
The forty-one Heads of State and Government meeting in the Senegalese
capital devoted the majority of their time to the issue of education and
training in Francophone countries.
1987 - 2nd Francophone Summit in Quebec - from 2 to 4 September
Forty-one Heads of State and Government using French as a common language
responded positively to the joint invitation from Canada and Quebec. They
profited from this second summit to get to know each other better and
to pool their experiences relating to a number of activities in the political,
economic and cultural areas. A list of priority sectors for Francophonie
was drawn up at this summit.
1986 - 1st Francophone Summit in Versailles - from 17 to 19 February
Forty-one countries and governments were represented at this summit held
at the Chateau de Versailles. For this first meeting, participants focused
on defining objectives based on solidarity.
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