NEWS RELEASES
December 2, 2005 (7:10 p.m. EST)
No. 240
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA HAILS THE APPOINTMENT OF CLÉMENT
DUHAIME AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION OF LA FRANCOPHONIE
Jacques Saada, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the
Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie, hailed the
appointment of Clément Duhaime as Administrator of the International Organization of
La Francophonie.
Mr. Duhaime’s accession to this strategic position in the international organization was
announced today by the Secretary-General of the International Organization of La
Francophonie, Abdou Diouf. Mr. Duhaime succeeds Roger Dehaybe, who had held the
position since November 1997.
“There is reason to celebrate a Canadian’s accession to this strategic position,” said
Mr. Saada. “The new administrator is a man with broad experience with issues
pertaining to La Francophonie, and his appointment could not possibly come at a more
important moment in the organization’s development. It has just adopted its very first
10-year strategic framework, which will now guide all operators and partners in
identifying the outcomes they must achieve.”
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Duhaime had held the position of Delegate General of
Quebec in Paris, and the Premier of Quebec’s personal representative for La
Francophonie, since October 2000.
Previously, Mr. Duhaime was the Cooperation Policy and Budget Advisor to the
Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, and held the
positions of Permanent Representative of the International Organization of La
Francophonie to the European Union, and Special Advisor in charge of follow-up to the
Summits of the Heads of State and Governments to the Secretary-General of the
Agence de la Francophonie.
“Canada, the second-largest donor of La Francophonie after France, is very pleased
with the transformations that La Francophonie is undergoing today. They give the
organization the opportunity to define and occupy a strategic position in a constantly
changing world,” concluded Minister Saada.
La Francophonie includes 49 member states and participating governments, four
associate states and 10 observer states.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Daniel Dezainde
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions
of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie
(613) 944-1291
(514) 496-1282
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
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