PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Senegal, Vietnam bid to host 15th OIF Summit in 2014
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.
Both bids will be examined Sunday behind closed doors by the Heads of State and Government of the 75-Member States and observers of the Francophonie who will meet Saturday and Sunday in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
"If Senegal wins the bid, it will coincide with the end of the mandate of the OIF current Secretary General, Mr. Abdou Diouf, a Senegalese," a delegate present at the Summit said on condition of anonymity.
The Summit should also rule on the applications for membership by Qatar, Uruguay and Armenia.
It will also discuss the economic and environmental challenges and crises in the Francophone area, including in Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, eastern DR Congo and Guinea-Conakry.
According to organizers, about 30 heads of State and government had confirmed their attendance at the Summit being held for the first time in Central Africa.
The theme of the Kinshasa Summit is "Francophonie: Economic and Environment Issues in the face of Global Governance".
Friday and Saturday have been declared legal holidays to allow Kinshasa residents to participate in the "great festival of the francophone family".
Works of the Permanent Council of the Francophonie (CPF) and the Ministerial Conference (CMF), held on Wednesday and Thursday, were marked by extensive debates on the situation in eastern DR Congo.
-0- PANA SEI/JSG/JEN/VAO 12Oct2012
Both bids will be examined Sunday behind closed doors by the Heads of State and Government of the 75-Member States and observers of the Francophonie who will meet Saturday and Sunday in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
"If Senegal wins the bid, it will coincide with the end of the mandate of the OIF current Secretary General, Mr. Abdou Diouf, a Senegalese," a delegate present at the Summit said on condition of anonymity.
The Summit should also rule on the applications for membership by Qatar, Uruguay and Armenia.
It will also discuss the economic and environmental challenges and crises in the Francophone area, including in Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, eastern DR Congo and Guinea-Conakry.
According to organizers, about 30 heads of State and government had confirmed their attendance at the Summit being held for the first time in Central Africa.
The theme of the Kinshasa Summit is "Francophonie: Economic and Environment Issues in the face of Global Governance".
Friday and Saturday have been declared legal holidays to allow Kinshasa residents to participate in the "great festival of the francophone family".
Works of the Permanent Council of the Francophonie (CPF) and the Ministerial Conference (CMF), held on Wednesday and Thursday, were marked by extensive debates on the situation in eastern DR Congo.
-0- PANA SEI/JSG/JEN/VAO 12Oct2012
