OIF secretary general: We need to be closer in this war-torn international context

Francophone countries need to talk more, to be closer in this international context affected by the war at Romania's border, a member state of the Francophonie, said Friday secretary general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo, at the end of consultations with foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu.

"I have come here, including in the context of this war at your country's borders (...) there is a need for more discussion among Francophone countries. We need to be closer, to get to know each other better, to support each other better - this is a message that directly addresses this need for solidarity, which is one of the essential values of the French-speaking world," stressed the OIF official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) headquarters, in a joint conference with minister Bogdan Aurescu.

Louise Mushikiwabo recalled, in this context, that the OIF, founded 52 years ago, has become an organisation based on cooperation in all respects, bringing together countries from the most important regions, and is, after the UN, the most important organisation of its kind, with 88 member states and others that have submitted their candidacy.

"Romania is the most Francophone country in this region, in the entire Francophone area. We have collaboration in the field of education, in the field of professional training (...) In recent years we have benefited from Romania's support not only in terms of the contribution of all the states with statutory rights, a contribution which has increased on Romania's part - and I thank you, Mr. Minister - but also in terms of initiatives which are essential for the OIF, for example the fund dedicated to women in the Francophone area who suffered during the COVID pandemic," stressed the OIF secretary general.

"We have expressed our full appreciation for the humanitarian aid provided primarily to Ukrainian refugees, but also for the important support given by Romania to the Republic of Moldova, a member state of the OIF," said the OIF secretary general, who announced that on Friday evening she would travel to Chisinau to mark the active presence of the Francophonie in the area.

In this context, Louise Mushikiwabo noted that the Republic of Moldova is deeply supported by Romania, "and these values of support, understanding, dialogue and communication are the very DNA of the OIF".

"I thank the ministers of both countries - Romania and Moldova - for the distribution of cereals, given that many of our North African countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which make up the bulk of OIF member states, receive cereals imported from Ukraine. It was important for Romania to organise the logistics of transferring these grains to our African countries so effectively," said the official who was in Bucharest on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Romania's accession to the OIF.