NEWS RELEASES
DUHAMEL PLEASED WITH DECISIONS MADE AT THE 14TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF LA FRANCOPHONIE
November 30, 1999 (12:30 p.m. EST) No. 259
DUHAMEL PLEASED WITH DECISIONS MADE AT THE 14TH
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF LA FRANCOPHONIE
Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Francophonie), Ronald J.
Duhamel, today expressed, in a press conference held in Paris, his great satisfaction
with the results of the 14th Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie, which took place
in the French capital on November 29 and 30. The press conference, closing the two-day meeting, was co-presided by Mr. Duhamel and the Secretary-General of the
Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
Mr. Duhamel, who was presiding at this follow-up conference to the Moncton Summit,
summarized the highlights of the decisions made by the ministers and heads of
delegation:
• to hold a "Women, power and development" conference dedicated to Francophone
women, in Luxembourg, on February 4 and 5, 2000;
• to hold an international symposium on the results of democratic practices, rights and
liberties in Francophone communities in the last quarter of 2000;
• to hold a Ministerial Conference on Culture early in 2001; and
• to continue the Francophone dialogue on cultural diversity initiated this fall in
preparation for the World Trade Organization round of negotiations.
"The Canadian government is of the opinion that dialogue is part of La Francophonie,"
said Mr. Duhamel. "We are determined to pursue our active participation and our
contribution to developing such themes as cultural diversity, democracy and
development."
"I am also pleased with the adoption, by the Conference, of the programming of La
Francophonie, which was set out in Moncton for the next two years, and of which one
third of the projects are youth orientated," concluded Mr. Duhamedl.
The Ministerial Conference also applauded the progress of the reform process of the
Agence intergouvernementale de La Francophonie.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Amy Butcher
Office of the Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Francophonie)
(613) 944-5482
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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