Ignazio Cassis to visit Ghana then Cameroon for Francophonie Ministerial Conference
Bern, 31.10.2023 - The head of the FDFA, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, will visit West and Central Africa from 3 to 5 November 2023. He will pay a working visit to Ghana where he will meet the Ghanaian president, Mr Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He will then continue to Cameroon, where he will take part in the 44th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé. On this occasion, Mr Cassis will highlight Switzerland's role in global digital governance, particularly in the context of International Geneva.
Before heading for Cameroon, Mr Cassis will make a stopover in Accra on 3 November. During his visit, he will meet the Ghanaian president, Mr Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Bilateral relations and security and stability in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea regions will be at the heart of the talks. Discussions will also focus on cooperation within the framework of the UN, in particular within the Security Council. Ghana holds a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the period 2022–23.
Mr Cassis will then travel to Cameroon, where he will take part in the Francophonie Ministerial Conference on 4 and 5 November in Yaoundé. Placed under the theme "Good governance: a guarantee of political, economic and cultural stability for French-speaking citizens," the conference will be an opportunity for Mr Cassis to highlight the central role of Switzerland, and in particular International Geneva, in global digital governance. Switzerland has also made digitalisation one of the four thematic focus areas of its Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23.
In Yaoundé, Mr Cassis will also reiterate the importance of La Francophonie in implementing sustainable development objectives through the use of French as a common language. In the light of the many international crises, the representatives of the 54 member states and governments will also consider the role of La Francophonie in political transitions and coups d'état, particularly in Africa.
Switzerland in La Francophonie
Switzerland joined the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) in 1996, becoming the third largest contributor. The organisation works to meet the needs of population groups in various contexts, particularly women and young people. Switzerland's role in the IOF is mainly reflected in its support for teacher training programmes, youth education and digital governance. Switzerland also supports the IOF's activities to promote democracy and rights, including gender equality.
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