Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)
The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF: international organization of La Francophonie) is an international
body that groups together 53 member states and governments and 10 observer states. Its member states are home to over
175-million people around the world who share the French language and certain values.
The OIF’s priorities for action in the French-speaking world are to prevent conflicts, consolidate the rule of law and democracy,
and promote and ensure human rights. The OIF works to advance the French language and cultural diversity and is at the
service of education and training. It is also involved in economic cooperation, in a spirit of sustainable development.
Headquartered in Paris, the OIF is led by a Secretary General, who is assisted by an Administrator. Its efforts are
supported by four operating agencies: the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF: university agency of
La Francophonie), TV5, Université Senghor and the Association internationale des maires francophones (AIMF:
international association of mayors of francophone cities). It is assisted by a consultative assembly, the
Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF: parliamentary assembly of La Francophonie). The OIF collaborates
closely with other international organizations such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Arab League and
the African Union.
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Québec and La Francophonie
In supporting the efforts of the OIF and its components, Québec stresses the issues that it considers
to be the most important, namely the universal role of the French language, the right of cultures to
exist, advancing the principles of democracy and human rights, and rising to modern-day challenges.
Québec has high-calibre expertise in several of these areas, which it makes available to the entire
francophone community.
French language
French is one of only a small number of universal languages. The
OIF is responsible for promoting the use and
influence of French worldwide. As promoting and defending French is also a fundamental priority for Québec,
the Government of Québec contributes to efforts to expand the pool of French-speakers. To this end, it has
set itself the objectives of upgrading the TV5 television network and increasing French-language Web content.
Right of cultures to exist
Québec’s commitment to cultural diversity is mirrored by its efforts as a member of La Francophonie.
It places great importance, for example, on supporting programs designed to help “partner”
languages flourish within La Francophonie and supports the OIF’s openness toward other languages
used around the world.
Vigorous efforts by Québec and the OIF contributed greatly to UNESCO’s adoption at its 33rd General Conference of
the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Québec is now working
to convince the greatest possible number of states within the francophone world to ratify the convention.
Democracy
Québec places the highest value on affirming democratic principles and securing their recognition within the
international francophone community. The
Bamako Declaration, adopted in 2000, sets forth a series of obligations
aimed at asserting democratic values, consolidating the rule of law, ensuring free and fair elections, and promoting human rights.
The adoption of this prescriptive declaration owes much to Québec’s active involvement within various francophone bodies.
The Government of Québec delegated over 20 experts and high-profile personalities to the preparatory phases for
the first Francophonie and Democracy symposium, at which the Bamako Declaration was adopted.
The principles and obligations contained in the Bamako Declaration were reiterated at the second Francophonie
and Democracy symposium, commonly referred to as “Bamako+5,” held from November 6 to 8, 2005.
Rising to modern-day challenges
Québec is a pioneer and leader within La Francophonie when it comes to developing new information technologies
and ensuring the use of French on the Internet. In 1997, Québec hosted the Conférence des ministres responsables
des inforoutes (conference of ministers responsible for information highways) in Montréal and contributed to the
creation and development of the Fonds francophone des inforoutes (FFI: francophone information highway fund).
Québec City is home to the Institut de l‘énergie et de l‘environnement de la Francophonie (IEPF: energy and
environment institute of La Francophonie), created in 1988.
In the field of education, the Government of Québec encourages the activities of the
Agence universitaire de la Francophonie
(AUF: university agency of La Francophonie) by funding certain programs and the operations of the AUF’s Montréal headquarters.
The AUF promotes student and researcher mobility within the francophone world.
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Québec’s contributions
Aware of the vital nature of certain issues for the future of La Francophonie, Québec
has played an active role in the creation and development of francophone institutions.
The Government of Québec’s participation in all components of La Francophonie is
in keeping with Québec’s conviction that efforts by these institutions are crucial for
its own future. Participation in components of La Francophonie is also an excellent
opportunity for dialogue between francophone states and governments.
Francophone intergovernmental cooperation dates back to 1970, with the creation of the Agence
de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT: cultural and technical cooperation agency).
In 1995 the ACCT was renamed “Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie” (AIF: international
agency of La Francophonie). Ten years later, in 2005, the AIF was integrated into the Organisation
internationale de la Francophonie (OIF: international organization of La Francophonie). Québec was
a participating government member of the ACCT/AIF from its creation. The ACCT’s first Secretary General
(1970-1973), Jean-Marc Léger, was a Quebecer.
Québec participates in all of La Francophonie’s activities and programs, including summits,
ministerial conferences and meetings of OIF bodies. It defends three basic principles:
- Multilateralism. Québec sees La Francophonie as a forum where projects are designed, implemented and evaluated by all partners, who make their resources available to the entire francophone community.
- Partnerships. Partner relations are an opportunity for each party to express its
needs and participate in choosing solutions by consensus. The partners’ specific identities,
cultures, economic contexts and contributions are recognized, and each partner has to be able
to meet its own interests through group initiatives.
- Networking. This approach for organizing cooperation allows each member to make a contribution.
It is important that all parties involved in cooperation projects, including the project promoters
and beneficiaries, are included in each step in project deployment.
Québec has always made it a point of honour to belong to the international francophone
institutions that have been created over the years. Since the 1960s it has hosted a large
number of important meetings, including the ACCT General Conference in 1971, the second
Francophone Summit, held in Québec City in 1987, the Montréal Conference on the Information
Society in 1997, a number of meetings of ministers in various sectors and a variety of meetings of experts.
In 2008, Québec City will host the 12th Francophone Summit.
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