Leaders attending the Nineteenth Francophonie Summit in France over the weekend stressed the urgent need to promote digital cooperation in the French-speaking world including artificial-intelligence (AI) training.
According to a summit declaration released by the office of French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron on Monday, ‘Francophone cultural and linguistic diversity is a major issue within the digital space.’
Leaders urged the francophone world to ‘actively continue its contribution to global digital governance’ – in line with initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact adopted at the United Nations in New York last month and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit to be hosted in France next year.
GENERATIVE AI
‘Let us recognise the urgency of acting in the digital environment,’ the declaration said.
Such actions should include “solutions favouring accessibility, linguistic diversity and discoverability of French-language cultural, educational and scientific content and training in French of generat
ive artificial intelligence.
‘We welcome the importance of the digitised collections of French-language documentary institutions,’ the declaration added.
YOUTH AND SPORTS
Heads of state and government – who met in Villers-Cotterêts and Paris on Friday and Saturday – also called for measures to encourage young people to do business in French.
‘The future of our young people is a priority that commits us to work ever more closely with them for peace and sustainable social development based on the values of solidarity and tolerance, justice and inclusivity.’
The declaration called for university, professional and technical training – including work-study, apprenticeship or mentoring programs – to be adapted to ‘enhance the spirit of creation, innovation and entrepreneurship of young people in line with the skills necessary for their employability.’
It also called for exchanges between young French-speaking trainers, volunteers, academics, researchers and entrepreneurs, ‘especially as part of cross-mobility
projects within the French-speaking world.
‘To this end, let us encourage multi-actor cooperation involving member states and governments, institutions and partners of the Francophonie Constitution with business operators and civil society.’
Ahead of the Francophonie Games in Armenia in 2027, the declaration called on the French-speaking world to revive the ‘spirit of solidarity and respect’ of last year’s Games in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris this year.
It also urged French speakers to recognise their importance in sport, ‘highlighting the socio-economic opportunities it generates for francophone youth, and its positive spinoffs in terms of health and well-being.’
PARLIAMENTARY CALL FOR GREATER MOBILITY
In addition, the summit noted the Francophone parliamentary assembly’s call for greater mobility among French-speaking countries and territories.
‘In its opinion on citizen mobility in the French-speaking world, the Assemblée parlement
aire de la Francophonie (APF) recommends implementing measures to consolidate Francophonie into a more integrated area of mobility area and better exploit its socio-economic potential,’ it said.
EXPANSION TO 93 STATES AND GOVERNMENTS
On Saturday, President Macron announced that members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) had nominated Cambodia to host the Twentieth Francophonie Summit in 2026.
In his acceptance speech, His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, expressed sincere gratitude to members for their support and assured that his government and people were committed to making the Summit an exceptional moment of sharing.
Following the weekend summit, OIF said the organisation now comprises 93 states and governments – 56 full members, 5 associate members and 32 observers – up from the previous 88.
During the summit, heads of state and government approved five new observers – Angola, Chile, French Polynesia, the Canadian province of Nov
a Scotia and the German state of Saarland. They also approved the upgrading of Cyprus and Ghana from associate to full-member status.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse