Veep attends 12th Summit of La Francophonie in Canada

Accra, Oct. 11, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, leaves Ghana for Quebec, Canada, on Saturday, to attend the 12th Summit of the Organisation Internationale La Francophonie. A source at the Osu Castle, told the Ghana News Agency that Alhaji Mahama leads a six-member delegation to the two-day summit, which include Mr Akwasi Osei Adjei, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD.

The event also marks the 400 anniversary celebration of the founding of Quebec Province, which had played a central role in the promotion of the French culture and language in the North American hemisphere. Two years ago, at the 11th Summit of La Francophonie in Bucharest, Romania, which was attended by President John Agyekum Kufuor, Ghana was made an associate member of the 55-member state organisation, which is an international organisation of French Speaking Countries and Governments.

Ghana is expected to use the summit to lobby to become a full member of the organisation.

Last month, Madam Geraldine Brigitte, French Minister for Overseas Development and Francophone Affairs, interacted with Alhaji Mahama at the Castle, at the request of President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Secretary-General of the organisation, to inform Ghana about the summit. La Francophonie aims at entrenching democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights, worldwide. In order to boost the study of French in Ghana, President Kufuor had directed all members of Cabinet to should study the language.