March 13, 2015 - Ottawa, Ontario
Check Against Delivery
Madame President of the Group of Heads of Francophone Missions in Ottawa,
Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for accepting my invitation to be here today to celebrate the month of La Francophonie, which this year is marking the 45th anniversary of the creation of the International Organisation of La Francophonie.
I am sure you will agree that, after 45 years, this organization that we hold so dear has matured nicely and continues to show a lot of vitality.
Canada is proud to have played an active role in the creation of La Francophonie on March 20, 1970, in Niamey, Niger. Today, we are committed to continuing our active involvement in its evolution. We consider it a privilege to belong to this impressive community of 80 states and governments spread across five continents with 900 million inhabitants, of whom nearly 300 million are Francophones.
Initially a linguistic, educational and cultural institution, the organization modernized itself, gaining credibility and becoming more effective. It is now recognized as an important player in international relations.
One cannot speak of La Francophonie’s evolution without mentioning the Dakar Summit, which was held in November 2014. It was a successful summit and a remarkable one in many regards. Foremost in my mind is the important role played by women and youth in the development of our countries, which was recognized by heads of state and governments, and referred to by various policy documents adopted at the summit. My thoughts also turn to the adoption of the economic strategy for La Francophonie, which lays the foundations for developing La Francophonie’s economic dimension.
Implementing this economic strategy effectively is a priority for Canada, as are strengthening democracy, respect for human rights and good governance. The strategy is closely tied to our objectives of poverty reduction and sustainable economic development. It is also a vehicle for solidarity among Francophone countries.
In the coming months, Canada plans to consult with its partners, including institutions of La Francophonie, francophone communities and Canadian civil society organizations, and to further involve the private sector in Canada and throughout La Francophone, in order to drive the implementation of the economic strategy for La Francophonie. The goal is simple: encourage discussion and cooperation, and strengthen solidarity among the countries of La Francophonie. We must create conditions that are conducive to sustainable economic growth in order to reduce poverty in our countries.
As the leaders in Dakar asked us to do, we must make it easier for women and youth to enter the job market, enable them to access economic resources and allow them to fully play their role as agents for development. It is essential to intensify our efforts so we can ensure that our economies function properly and our citizens’ welfare improves.
The private sector will play a vital role in developing the francophone community’s traditional and social economies. And so, La Francophonie must become an ideal forum for beneficial exchanges and cooperation for all of its economic stakeholders, be they national, regional or international.
I also invited you here this morning to show you that, when it comes to the economic dimension of La Francophonie, Canada intends not only to promote it, but also to take concrete and unifying action in this regard.
Indeed, it is my pleasure today to launch the call for proposals for Skills for Employment in La Francophonie, which I announced at the Dakar Summit. This call, valued at $30 million over five years, is now open to eligible Canadian organizations that can propose training initiatives adapted to the needs of the job market in developing countries that are members of the International Organisation of La Francophonie.
Canada is pleased to be able to provide professional development opportunities to women and men who are looking for employment in developing countries of La Francophonie.
Also in connection with the Dakar Summit, another purpose of today’s gathering is to thank you all for your countries’ support for Michaëlle Jean’s candidacy for the position of secretary general of La Francophonie, since, as you know, a consensus was reached at last November’s Francophonie Summit.
Madame Jean began her term as the head of La Francophonie in January 2015, and we are confident that she and her team will work with all states and governments of La Francophonie to help move the organization forward in the 21st century to ensure that its values and missions thrive, and to be a part of the building of a more just, more prosperous and more peaceful world.
It is these messages of action, solidarity and celebration that I want to convey to you in the days leading up to the International Day of La Francophonie. So today, let’s celebrate our shared values in this language that we cherish.
