PARIS, France , Oct. 5, 2024
/CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin
Trudeau, today concluded his participation at the 19th
Sommet de la Francophonie in Villers-Cotterêts and Paris, France. This visit was an opportunity
for him to promote the French language, strengthen Canada's relations with other member states
and governments of La Francophonie, and advance our shared values,
including peace, democracy, human rights, and inclusion.
At the Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau underlined Canada's commitment to promoting development,
security, and inclusion in Francophone Africa. He announced more
than $11 million to support
initiatives that focus on improved access to education, the
empowerment of women and girls, youth nutrition and health, and the
safety and security of communities, while strengthening our
relations with French-speaking countries in Africa.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada's commitment to supporting governance
modernization at the Organisation internationale de
la Francophonie (OIF) so it can fulfill its mandate
transparently and as effectively as possible, especially with
respect to promoting our shared values and the French language. He
noted the work underway to map and identify workforce needs for the
teaching of French and instruction in French. Prime Minister
Trudeau also reiterated Canada's
support for La Francophonie's operators and institutions by
announcing a federal investment of nearly $1.6 million. This funding will support
scientific research in French as well as student mobility and youth
employability, while helping expand the diversity of
French-language content on the TV5MONDEplus platform. It will also
support research on promoting the French language and Francophone
identities in cities across La Francophonie and foster the
participation of women in parliaments in the Francophone world.
In the Villers-Cotterêts Call, Canada and the other OIF member states and
governments invited digital platforms to strengthen their
commitments to create a safer and fairer digital space. They also
agreed on the importance of promoting the responsible use and
development of artificial intelligence and countering
disinformation. To support this goal, Prime Minister Trudeau
underscored the importance of continuing to build strong
relationships with our partners in La Francophonie to create a
safer and more prosperous future for our peoples.
As a founding member of the OIF and its second-largest donor,
Canada is firmly committed to
supporting the OIF's mandate and initiatives, in particular to
protect and promote the French language as well as cultural and
linguistic diversity. To that end, Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
the Cité internationale de la langue française, which seeks to
promote the richness and diversity of the French language and its
role in the world. By supporting this project, Canada is highlighting the importance of its
Francophone minority communities, deepening exchanges between
Francophones in Canada and abroad,
and showcasing the diversity of the Canadian Francophonie to Cité
visitors.
Building on the progress made during President Macron's visit to
Canada last month, Prime Minister
Trudeau also reiterated his commitment to strengthening bilateral
relations between Canada and
France.
At the Summit, the Prime Minister met with international
counterparts to discuss current geopolitical challenges with
wide-ranging impacts, including in the Francophone world,
especially the situation in Haiti,
as well as tensions in the Middle
East and along Lebanon's
southern border. He emphasized the importance of working together,
as OIF partners, to preserve peace and security in the world.
Quote
"During the Sommet de la Francophonie, I renewed
Canada's commitment to promoting
and protecting the French language. In collaboration with the OIF
and the other member states and governments, we can create new
opportunities for Francophone people around the world."
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime
Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- This is the fourth time Prime Minister Trudeau has
participated in the Sommet de la Francophonie.
- During the Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with the
General Secretary and President of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, the Prime Minister of
Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of
Belgium, Alexander De Croo,
and the President of Côte d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara.
- In addition to the Villers-Cotterêts Call, OIF member
states and governments adopted a resolution on crisis situations,
crisis recovery, and peacebuilding in the Francophone world. They
also approved the applications from countries and governments
seeking observer status in the OIF, including Nova Scotia. Nova
Scotia joins Quebec and
New Brunswick, which are full
members of the OIF, as well as Ontario, which has observer status.
- At the Summit, Canada joined
Quebec, the Wallonia-Brussels
Federation, France, Monaco, and Switzerland in signing the Declaration of
donor governments for TV5Monde. The Government of Canada is proud to be a partner of TV5Monde
and to help promote La Francophonie. This declaration
reaffirms our support for the French-language network and reflects
our commitment to strengthening the network's ties with other OIF
member countries.
- Canada and France also signed a bilateral collaborative
agreement on emergency management. This agreement supports
co-operation in planning responses to emergencies and other
international crises, as well as mutual assistance in times of
crisis, including consular efforts during assisted departures.
- The Memorandum of Understanding on the Cité internationale
de la langue française, signed during the Summit, will also make it
possible to explore opportunities for co-operation with the Collège
international de Villers-Cotterêts to train Francophone teachers
and translators.
- Canada and France enjoy deep bilateral relations and a
dynamic and diversified trade relationship. In 2023, the French
diaspora in Canada represented
between 140,000 and 150,000 people. Canada also welcomed 27,110 French students in
2023.
Related Products
- Backgrounder: Prime Minister announces significant supports at
the Sommet de la Francophonie in France
- Villers-Cotterêts Call (in French only)
Associated Links
- Prime Minister to travel to France to participate in the 19th Sommet de
la Francophonie
- Canada and La
Francophonie
- Sommet de la Francophonie
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
- Canada-France relations
This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca
SOURCE Prime Minister's Office