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...

Quebec- Canada (PANA) -- Heads of state and governments attending the 12th Summit of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) here Saturday began discussing, in a close session, the international situation, hallmarked by a global financial crisis. Full text...

Québec- Canada (PANA) -- Mali's Amadou Toumani Touré, Cameroon's Paul Biya and Ga bon's Omar Bongo Ondimba are the first three African heads of state to arrive in Québec, the Canadian province of the same name, which hosts Saturday and Sunday t he 12th summit of the International Francophonie Organisation (OIF), summit sour c es told PANA Thursday. Full text...

Québec- Canada (PANA) -- The president of DR Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, and his Malagasy counterpart, Marc Ravalomanana, will defend the respective candidatures of their countries to host the Francophonie summit in 2010 during the meeting of the heads of state and government scheduled to take place from 18 to 19 October i n Québec, Canada. Full text...

Tunis- Tunisia (PANA) -- The next Francophonie summit scheduled to take place fro m 17 to 19 October in Québec, Canada, was at the heart of discussions when the m i nister in charge of Francophonie in the Canadian province, Mrs Monique Gagnon-Tr e mblay, paid a visit to Tunisia. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The secretary general of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), former Senegalese President Abdou Diouf, has urged France to do more for the Francophonie, as it is the first francophone economic and political power. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday urged Algeria to join the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) and invited his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika to attend the next francophone summit. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The Administrator of the International Organisat ion of Francophonie (OIF), Clement Duhaime, arrived here Saturday evening on a t h ree-day working visit. Full text...

Ventiane- Laos (PANA) -- The secretary general of the Francophonie, Abdou Diouf is urging member states of OIF to ratify the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity, which he describes as a "society project that allows peaceful coexistence, thinking together and managing our common destiny in a democratic way". Full text...

Vientiane- Laos (PANA) -- The minister of Cooperation, Development and Francophonie, Jean-Marie Bockel has expressed the desire for Algeria to seek membership into the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF). Full text...

Vientiane- Laos (PANA) -- The 23rd Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie that opened Tuesday at Vientane in Laos is expected to heavily discuss the crises in DR Congo, Central African Republic, the Comoros and other African countries, according to Ousmane Paye, special adviser to OIF secretary general Abdou Diouf. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The International Francophonie Agency (OIF) is currently studying all legislations of its member countries with a view to proposing a legal framework to decriminalize offences by the media, the delegation of the OIF in Dakar told PANA on Thursday. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) – The University of Saint--Etienne, in the south- east of France, is to award, on 19 October, the title of honorary doctor to the secretary general of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF), Abdou Diouf, official sources told PANA here Wednesday. Full text...

Bucharest- Romania (PANA) -- Abdou Diouf, the secretary general of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF), appealed here Friday to the international community to mobilise resources to reconstruct Lebanon after Israel's recent bombing raids on the country. Full text...

Rabat- Morocco (PANA) -- Morocco has called for support from the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) for its bid to host the 2012 World Exposition in the northern city of Tangiers, Moroccan news agency MAP reported on Thursday, adding that the request was made at the 22nd session of the OIF Ministerial Conference in Bucharest. Full text...

technologies- chosen as the theme of the 11th summ-it of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) constitute a serious and exceptionally important issue, OIF secretary-general Abdou Diouf said Thursday in Bucharest, Romania. Full text...

Ouagadougou- Burkina Faso (PANA) -- Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore will attend the 11th conference of heads of State and government of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) slated 28-29 September in Bucharest, Romania, his office announced here Wednesday a statement. Full text...

Bucharest- Romania (PANA) – Ten member States of t-he International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) have mounted an exhibition Bucharest on the fringes of the OIF 11th heads of state and government summit convening in Romania. Full text...

Bucharest- Romania (PANA) – The Francophonie five -continents prize for 2006 was awarded Sunday in Bucharest, Romania, to Mauritian female writer Ananda Devi for her novel "Eve de ses décombres", published by the Gallimard editions. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) – Mozambican president Armand-o Guebuza and Abdou Diouf, secretary general of the International Francophonie Organisation (OIF), have held talks here on a range of African and global issues, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) – Djibouti ambassador to Fran-ce, Rachad Farah, has expressed his co8untry's "total support" for the re- election of Abdou Diouf as Secretary General of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF). Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Mozambique has filed an application for an observer status with the Paris-based International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), a reliable source told PANA here. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) - – Secretary general Abdou Diouf of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) has appointed five eminent Africans to head administrative departments of the organisation, an official statement said here. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The government in Senegal is demanding that the Canadian government apologise over the body search on former Senegalese President, Abdou Diouf at Toronto airport where there was no authority to receive him. Full text...

Conakry- Guinea (PANA) -- Secretary general, Abdou Diouf of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) is heading a delegation in Conakry on a two-day visit to Guinea as part of a west African tour. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Francophones from the five continents on Monday began celebrating the French language that unites 170 million speakers throughout the world, but also 710 million inhabitants of 63 States and governments in membership of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF). Full text...

Bujumbura- Burundi (PANA) -- The secretary general of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), Abdou Diouf, arrived here Sunday afternoon on a two-day working visit to Burundi, official sources said in Bujumbura. Full text...

Kinshasa- DR Congo (PANA) -- The Francophonie International Organisation (OIF) has appointed Congolese Josette Shaji a Tshibuila as Director of the West African Regional Bureau of the Francophonie University Organisation (AUF) headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- Mauritanian head of state, Col. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- Here are results of the final athletics competitions held Wednesday at the 7th Francophonie Games in Niamey. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- The latest results recorded Wednesday afternoon at the 5th Francophonie Games in Niamey were celebrations by Canadian François Lavallée who won gold in tale and Lebanese national, Randa Mirza who captured gold in photography. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- Results of the Francohonie games held Monday night in Niamey are as follows: Men 20 km Walk Langlois Denis, France 1:30. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- The Burkina Faso beat Niger 1-0 and Côte d'Ivoire repeated the scoreline against the DR Congo to reach the semi finals of the Francophonie Games after clashing in their quarterfinal matches here Monday. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- Sporting competition at the 5th Francophonie Games went into full swing in Niamey Thursday after President Mamadou Tandja officially opened the events on Wednesday at the General Seyni Kountche Stadium. Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- The Francophone Ministerial Conference (CMF) Wednesday in Antananarivo appealed to the member states of the International Francophonie Organisation (OIF) to ratify quickly the convention that UNESCO's general conference on cultural diversity adopted in October. Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- Five countries have expressed interest in hosting the 2010 Francophonie summit, the Secretary General of the International Francophonie Organisation (OIF), Abdou Diouf, said Wednesday in Antananarivo (Madagascar). Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- Burkina Faso's foreign minister Youssouf Ouedraogo has called on the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) to back African cotton producing countries during the 14-17 December World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Hong Kong. Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- The International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) will defend a common position at the 14-17 December World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference in Hong Kong, it was officially revealed here Wednesday. Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) Secretary General Abdou Diouf Tuesday called on member states to give the organisation a new charter to ensure the completion of its institutional reform. Full text...

Antananarivo- Madagascar (PANA) -- Malagasy president Marc Ravalomanana on Tuesday sensitised the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) to devote adequate attention to environmental issues, as they represent the "wealth of certain member nations". Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) Abdou Diouf left Paris Friday for Antananarivo at the beginning of a five-day working visit to Madagascar, official sources said here. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- The International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) Tuesday said it had set up a prize to celebrate democracy, human rights and peace in the world. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- French minister delegate for Cooperation and Francophonie, Brigitte Girardin, has asked the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) to make elections monitoring more comprehensive. Full text...