The 20th summit of the International Organisation of La Francophonie began in Phnom Penh. Bulgaria is represented by President Iliana Iotova, while the forum brings together representatives of 90 states and governments from the French-speaking world.
The meeting is being held on 15 and 16 November under the motto “Reinvesting in peace for shared prosperity and lasting stability”. Around 20 heads of state and government are expected to attend in person, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Vietnamese leader To Lam, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi, the Associated Press reported.
Yotova will take part in the plenary sessions
Iliana Iotova will address participants in the opening plenary session and take part in the closed-door meeting of heads of state and government. According to the press office of the head of state, the discussions will focus on dialogue, the peaceful resolution of disputes and sustainable development.
The Bulgarian president’s programme includes meetings with the organisation’s Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo and Vietnamese President To Lam. Iotova will also meet Cambodians who graduated from universities in Bulgaria and hold senior positions in various fields, BTA reported.
A new secretary-general will be elected on 16 November
One of the key items on the forum’s agenda is the election of a new secretary-general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie. The vote is scheduled for the final day of the meeting. Louise Mushikiwabo is seeking a new term, while the political rivalry surrounding the leadership post is also linked to tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
The Associated Press reported that Congo had withdrawn the candidacy of Juliana Lumumba and backed former Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș, arguing that this could help achieve consensus around a unifying candidate. Rwanda said that Mushikiwabo remains in the race.
The organisation’s presidency will be taken over by Cambodia, which is hosting the summit for the first time. Ahead of the forum, ministers prepared the Phnom Penh Declaration on Peace, a resolution on preventing and resolving crises, and a call for the protection of cultural heritage.
In the context of the forum, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia Thomas Andrews called on participants to defend the values of La Francophonie. “No one should be detained for defending human rights, reporting matters of public interest or expressing critical opinions,” he said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, burgasmedia.com