Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- The International Association of French-speaking mayors will hold here Saturday a symposium on "Cities and Informal Economy", it was officially announced Friday. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Niger National Assembly Speaker Mahamane Ousmane will head the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (AFP) beginning July 2003, according to official sources in Paris. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The International Francophonie Organisation (OIF) plans to provide substantial funding in the coming months to promote local African languages, OIF sources revealed Wednesday. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The Francophonie parliamentary Assembly has sent a fact-finding mission to Madagascar to secure "objective information" on the current political stalemate in that island nation, the assembly announced Wednesday in Paris. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The African continent can definitely be in the forefront of the Francophone's economic space if it took advantage of its immense potential, said Michel Roussin, vice president of the Movement of France's Enterprises (MEDEF). Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- The executive secretary of the Francophonie Games international committee, Michel Dach has expressed satisfaction to President Mamadou Tandja over Niger's choice by donors and the Francophone family to host the next Francophone Games in December 2005 in Niamey. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Calixthe Beyala says she has seen her stars rise. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- A group of Senegalese intellectuals and artists have created a support committee for Henri Lopes who is vying to be thenext Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie currently occupied by the Egyptian Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- France has sided with calls for the designation by consensus of the next Secretary General of the International Francophonie Organisation (OIF), Foreign ministry spokesman François Rivasseau said. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Henri Lopes, the Congolese candidate for the post of secretary-general of the International Francophonie organisation has expressed optimism that he would get elected. Full text...

N'Djamena- Chad (PANA) -- Three Chadian boxers, selected to represent the central African country at the Francophonie Games in Ottawa, Canada, have failed to travel for lack of visas. Full text...

Lome- Togo (PANA) -- Togo will support Boutros Boutros Ghali's bid for re-election as Secretary-General of the Francophonie organisation, Togolese Foreign Minister Panou Koffi has announced in Lome. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- A second Benin delegation left Cotonou Thursday for the 14-24 July 4th Francophonie Games in Ottawa, Canada, official sources said. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade has stated that he would not support a bid by his predecessor, Abdou Diuof, to head the International Organisation of the Francophonie during the body's summit in Beirut, Lebanon. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- The third conference of French- speaking ministers of culture is underway in Cotonou with participants from some 55 countries discussing cultural diversity within the Francophonie. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- Experts from Francophonie member countries Wednesday in Cotonou began preparations for the organisation's third conference of Culture ministers expected to discuss cultural diversity 14-15 June in the Benin capital. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- The Intergovernmental Agency of the Francophonie has announced the disbursement of 5,620,000 French Francs to support the production of 25 new films and other audio- visual productions in developing member countries. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The International Francophonie Organisation (OIF), says it is sending a mission to monitor Chad's Presidential elections on Sunday. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- The 9th regional confab of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF), Africa Zone, is underway in Niamey with focus on culture and HIV/AIDS. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- The sixth environmental impact assessment symposium entered its second day in Cotonou Tuesday involving about 100 experts from member states of the International Francophonie Organisation The theme of this year's meeting which ends on Friday are "energy choices: from impact assessment to strategic environmental assessment". Full text...