A flagraising ceremony has been held to commemorate the 54th Anniversary of the International Organisation of La Francophonie under the theme ‘Create, Innovate, Undertake in French.’
The ceremony which was held at the forecourt of the State House, last Wednesday, was attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Maher Kheir, Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior, Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Thi Hoang Mai Tran, West African Regional Representative for OIF and members of the diplomatic corps among others.
Also in attendance were officials from the security services as well as students and teachers from various schools in Ghana.
In his address, President Nana Akufo-Addo, said that the OIF stood as a testament to the foresight and dedication of its founding fathers to advance the use of French language, encouraging cultural and linguistic diversity and promoting peace, security and harmony amongst people across the world.
He noted that Ghana’s contributions since joining the OIF as an associate member in 2006 cannot be overlooked.
“The various Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed between Ghana and the OIF and its member states have yielded fruitful partnerships, exemplified by agreements such as the Linguistic Pact signed in May 2018 and the Teacher Mobility Program initiated in November 2021,” he stated.
He added that “through initiatives such as the Teacher Mobility Programme, which has seen several French teachers contribute to enhancing the quality of French education in Ghana, we have witnessed significant strides in our linguistic and educational sectors,” he said.
He commended the OIF for its new 2024-2027 programme which would focus on education and culture, democracy and good governance, as well as sustainable development.
“Recent developments in the Western and Central African Regions relating to political instability and violent extremism point to the necessity of deepening the engagement between the member counties and leveraging our common values to combat these challenges that threaten to destabilise our region and thwart our advancement,” he said.
He also announced Ghana’s application for full member status in the OIF ahead of the upcoming summit in France.
“I am pleased to inform you that Ghana has made substantial strides in our pursuit of full membership. We are poised to submit our application for a change in status, and we are optimistic that the provided information will meet all requirements. We eagerly anticipate that the 2024 summit in France will mark Ghana’s transition to full membership status within the OIF,” he stated.
On his part, Mr Kheir, who is also the President of La Francophonie Ambassadors’ Group, in his address noted the important role of the Francophonie and French language.
“The Francophonie stands as a beacon of linguistic and cultural diversity, where the French language serves as a bridge connecting people across borders and continents. It is a testament to the lasting power of language to unite, inspire, and empower individuals to strive for a better world.”
He commended Ghana’s effort towards becoming a bilingual country by deeply integrating French language into its education system, promoting linguistic and cultural understanding, encouraging trade relations, collaborating in education, promotion of tourism and participation in international forums.
As a result, he believes that “Ghana therefore has all the qualifications to be a full member of the OIF, and we are convinced that Ghana will be strongly considered at the upcoming 19th Francophonie Summit which will be hosted on October 4 and 5 by France, for the first time in 33 years.”
He called for deeper partnerships among members to build a better world.
Mr Kheir and Mr Tran raised the Francophonie flag while Ms Botchwey raised the flag of Ghana.
BY TIMES REPORTER
