Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegalese President Macky Sall said on Monday in Diamniadio, about 40 km from Dakar, that the presence of China in Africa should not worry the West, urging businesses to accept to face Chinese competition on the continent.Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegalese President Macky Sall has called on member countries of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) to "move from intention to action" and give the organization an economic dimension. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - Former Mauritanian head of state Ely Ould Mohamed Vall has hailed the statement by French President François Hollande at the 15th summit of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF) warning African leaders who want to cling to power.Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) – French president François Hollande on Saturday in Dakar warned African presidents, who want to cling in power, to be warned about events in Burkina Faso, which forced the departure of president Blaise Compaoré almost three weeks ago.Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – The European Development Commissioner, Neven Mimica, left Brussels for Dakar on Friday to take part in the 15th Francophonie summit this weekend.Full text...

Yaoundé, Cameroon (PANA) – Cameroonian president, Paul Biya, his wife Chantal and several government officials left Yaoundé on Friday for Senegal to take part in the 15th Conference of Francophonie heads of State and government due in Dakar on 29-30 November.Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, is due in Dakar Friday where he will attend the 15th Francophonie Summit, scheduled for 29-30 November, PANA learnt from official sources. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Young people and women are at the heart of reflections of the 15th Francophonie summit scheduled for 29-30 November in Dakar, the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mankeur Ndiaye, has announced. Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - A high-level delegation from Mauritius, led by President Rajkeswur Purryag, will participate in the 15th Francophonie Summit, scheduled for 29-30 November, 2014, in Dakar, Senegal, PANA learnt Tuesday from official sources. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Five candidates are seeking to succeed Abdou Diouf as Secretary-General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF). Full text...

Ziguinchor, Senegal (PANA) – The Francophonie Ministerial Conference of Youth and Sports (CONFEJES) opened a five-day meeting here Tuesday on the theme 'Ziguinchor, youth actions, sports, peace and citizenship' in a bid to contribute to a definitive return to peace in the southern Senegal region of Casamance, which has been affected by civil war for over 30 years. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - The Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, will attend the Francophonie Summit scheduled for November 29 and 30 in Dakar, Senegal, a government statement announced on Tuesday. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Former Burundi president Pierre Buyoya on Friday announced his candidacy for the post of Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) at a press conference in Dakar.Full text...

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (PANA) – Heads of State and governments of members countries of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) have thrown their weight behind Mauritian Jean-Claude de l’Estrac who is vying for the post of secretary general of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF).Full text...

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (PANA) – Seeking the post of Secretary General of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF), Mauritian candidate, Jean-Claude de l’Estrac, ended his campaign Friday in Côte d’Ivoire, pledging to create jobs for young people and making Africa a productive and industrialized continent.Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Senegalese Prime Minister Mohammed Dionne Tuesday received the Mauritian candidate for the post of Secretary General of the Francophonie, Jean-Claude de l'Estrac in Dakar, Senegal, PANA learnt from official sources.Full text...

Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – The Burundian government is canvassing diplomatic support for the candidacy of former president Pierre Buyoya for the post of Secretary General of the Francophonie, official sources said Wednesday in Bujumbura. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – The permanent council of the International Francophone Organization (OIF), composed of representatives from 77 member countries, on Friday lifted the suspension of Guinea Bissau from the organisation.Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – Mauritian Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, on Friday officially proposed the candidacy of Jean-Claude de l’Estrac, current Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) for Francophonie, as chairman of the International Francophone organization. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – France will closely work with Senegal to make the next Summit of International Francophone Organization (OIF) scheduled for Dakar in 2014 a successful event, the spokesman of France’s ministry of Foreign Affairs, Philippe Lalliot, has said. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Niger has paid about 300,000 euros or about CFAF 200 million, representing many years of outstanding contributions, to the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), PANA learnt Monday from Niger's government. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - Heads of State and Government of member countries of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) decided on Sunday in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), to give Senegal the hosting rights for the next OIF summit in 2014, PANA reported. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) – The president of Niger, Mamadou Issoufou and president Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, arrived in Kinshasa on Friday to attend the 14th Francophonie summit in the Congolese capital. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - The Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie (CMF) Thursday received bids from Senegal and Vietnam for the hosting of the 15th Summit of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) in 2014, PANA reports Friday from here. Full text...

Cotonou, Benin (PANA) – The Beninese president and chairman of the African Union, Boni Yayi, will attend the 14th summit of heads of State and government from International francophone organization (OIF), which opens Friday in capital of Democratic Republic of Congo, diplomatic sources told PANA on Thursday in Cotonou. Full text...

Conakry, Guinea (PANA) – Guinean president Alpha Condé leaves Conakry on Friday for Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo, to attend the 14th summit of heads of State of francophone countries, a statement from the press bureau at the presidency of the Republic says. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) – The 14th summit of the international francophone organization (OIF) due to open on Monday in the Democratic Republic of Congo will pay attention to the crisis in francophone countries, according to Ousmane Paye, special adviser of OIF secretary-general, Abdou Diouf. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - Kinshasa, the DR Congo capital, "vibrated" Wednesday evening to the beat of more than 100 musicians from french-speaking African countries as leaders from the 75-nation Francophonie gather here for their biennial summit on Friday, PANA reports. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – The secretary-general of the International francophone organization (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on Wednesday defended the plan to introduce a "Francophone visa" describing it as a "beautiful project" that should not be abandoned despite several obstacles. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – Côte d’Ivoire has been re-admitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF), from which it was expelled when President Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down after his defeat by Alassane Ouattara.Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - The 38th session of the Inter-parliamentary assembly of the Francophonie opens on Wednesday in Brussels to discuss and adopt resolutions and recommendations to be presented to the heads of state and government during the 14th Francophonie summit slated for 14 October in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - The International Francophonie Organization (OIF) has reaffirmed that its14th summit will take place as scheduled on 13-14 October in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - The Officer in charge of the Francophonie summit, Ousmane Paye, is expected on 20 March in Kinshasa, DR Congo, at the head of a delegation of the International Francophonie Organization to assess preparations for the XIV Francophonie summit, official sources in the DR Congolese capital said Monday. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) – The secretary-general of the international Francophone Organization (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on Thursday lauded preparations by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to host the 14th Francophone summit in Kinshasa in October 2012.Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - An international conference of the Francophonie is being held in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, as part of the activities marking the 50th anniversary of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), PANA reports from here. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - The International Francophonie Organization (OIF) on Wednesday reiterated its "total readiness" to support DR Congo's development efforts. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) – The 37th francophone parliamentary assembly scheduled for 5-8 July in Kinshasa will focus on peace, democracy, elections and economic development, according to a statement from the Bureau of the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (FPA) made available to PANA on Monday in the Congolese capital.Full text...

Rabat, Morocco (PANA) - The 19th session of the Africa Regional Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie opened Thursday in Rabat, Morocco. Full text...

Montreux- Switzerland (PANA) -- Human rights organisations, including Amnesty Int ernational and the Fondation Hirondelle, Thursday called for greater respect for human rights i n member countries of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF), which is holding its 13 th summit here this weekend. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure leaves Bamako on Fri day for Switzerland to participate in the 13th summit of the International Franc o phonie Organization (OIF) which opens on Saturday in Montreux, Switzerland. Full text...

Montreux- Switzerland (PANA) -- The 18th summit of the international francophone organization (OIF), due to be held from 22 to 24 October in Montreux, Switzerlan d , will devote a large part of its programme to political issues. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The secretary-general of the International Francophone O rganization (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on Tuesday urged African presidents to fully pla y their role in globalization, saying â?whether we want it or not, nothing will p revent Africa from globalizingâ?. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- A research organisation, the Study and Research Group on Democracy and Economic and Social Development in Africa (GERDESS-Africa), on Saturday condemned the decline of democracy in francophone Africa. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The international Francophone Organization (OIF) on Monda y lifted the suspension of Mauritania, saying the country has returned to consti t utional order following the 18 July presidential election. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The Francophonie administrator, Clement Duhaime, has presented a strategic plan which aims to transform the International Francophone Organization (OIF) into a â?model institutionâ?. Full text...

Lomé- Togo (PANA) -- The general secretary of the International Francophone Organization (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on Monday expressed his intention to appeal to Burkina Faso's president Blaise Compaoré to intervene in the political crisis in Togo. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The cities of Kinshasa, in DR of Congo and Ouagadougou, i n Burkina Faso, have been selected to be part of the network of "Houses of Knowl e dge of the Francophonie,” an official source in Paris told PANA here. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) – The Vice--Chancellor of the University of Reims Champagne- Ardenne (Eastern France), Richard Vistelle, will on May 6 honour the Secretary G e neral of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF), Mr Abdou Diouf, with a doctorate degree, a communiqué reaching PANA Tuesday said. Full text...

Tunis- Tunisia (PANA) -- Tunisian president Zine El Abidine on Saturday called fo r the strengthening of co-operation in education within la francophonie, saying t his represented "a considerable stake for member states which profit from the us e of the French language and sharing of skills and the knowledge". Full text...

Quebec- Canada (PANA) – The headquarters of the In-ternational Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) will open in the French capital, Paris, in 2010 following an agreement signed on Saturday in Quebec, Canada. Full text...