Tunisia: a very political 18th Francophonie summit ends in Djerba

French President Emmanuel Macron surrounded by OIF Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo and Tunisian President Kaïs Saied during the opening of the 18th Francophonie summit in Djerba on November 19, 2022. AP - Hassene Dridi

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The summit of La Francophonie came to an end this Sunday evening.

Thirty-one heads of state and government were gathered there.

A summit punctuated by reunions and some tensions. 

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With our special correspondent in Djerba,

Placed under the sign of digital and the economy, the summit of Djerba will however have been very political, but also electric.

Uncomfortable with the situation in Tunisia since its president granted himself full powers in July 2021, Canadian Justin Trudeau has done everything to avoid crossing paths with the master of Carthage.

Another dispute is that between the DRC and Rwanda.

The Congolese Prime Minister going so far as to shun the family photo so as not to appear on the same shot as Paul Kagame, the Rwandan president.

And it is precisely tensions on the continent and in the world that the Heads of State gathered in Djerba discussed.

They mentioned the major absentees: Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, which were not invited to the event because of the military coups that took place there.

Another subject of concern: Ukraine.

As the war is about to enter its tenth month, President Volodymyr Zelensky was able to address his counterparts in French-speaking countries by videoconference.

A “success” according to Louise Mushikiwabo

This Summit is however a “success” according to Louise Mushikiwabo.

A personal "success" in any case, because the Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, of Rwandan nationality, has just been elected there for a second term.

We will also note the very large crowd of people in the village of la Francophonie.

With sometimes 15,000 visitors a day, it was a welcome opening to the world for Tunisians who are suffering from an intense political and economic crisis.

The next big meeting of the French-speaking family in France will take place in 2024 in the brand new Cité internationale de la langue française.

►Also read: The 18th summit of La Francophonie marked by strong tensions between Rwanda and the DRC

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• Tunisia

• Francophonie