National News Agency
President Michel Aoun stressed the role which La Francophonie member-countries can play in helping Lebanon through this unprecedented ordeal which the country passes through, “During which Lebanon faces simultaneous problems and obstacles”. The President also clarified that Lebanon is working to try to confront the global Corona pandemic, expressing hope that the largest possible portion of the Lebanese will receive the vaccine in a short time.
For her part, La Francophonie Secretary-General, Louise Mushikiwabo, conveyed, to President Aoun, the solidarity and support of the organization for Lebanon and the Lebanese in these difficult circumstances. Mushikiwabo asked the political class to seek quick solutions to the current crisis and praised Lebanon and its role in the organization, affirming the continuation of the plan to open the regional office in Beirut, this year.
Stances of President Aoun came while meeting La Francophonie Secretary-General, Mrs. Louise Mushikiwabo, who was accompanied by a delegation, today at the Presidential Palace.
A ceremonial platoon was held by the Republican Guard Brigade, before Mrs. Mushikiwabo held a bilateral meeting with the President.
Bilateral Meeting:
During the meeting, the President welcomed the General Secretary in Lebanon, and stressed the importance that Lebanon attaches to the Francophonie and the organization which works to help Lebanon, thanking the Secretary General for her appeal, which she launched last August, to help the Lebanese.
President Aoun also stressed the role that the countries belonging to the organization can play in helping during this unprecedented ordeal which the country passes through, during which simultaneous problems and obstacles are faced (an economic crisis, the Corona virus, the Beirut port explosion, the burden of receiving displaced Syrians, ...).
Then, the President stated that Lebanon is working on trying to confront the global epidemic, as a vaccination campaign was launched for the Lebanese, expressing his hope that the largest possible portion could receive the vaccine in a quick time.
For her part, Ms. Mushikiwabo thanked President Aoun for receiving her and the accompanying delegation, stressing that “Lebanon is able to overcome the difficulties it faces, as it has always done”.
Mrs. Mushikiwabo then pointed out that it is important for the Francophone Organization to be present in Lebanon through the Secretary General, in order to convey the support of the Organization’s countries to Lebanon and its people. She also indicated that many countries are ready to provide assistance to Lebanon to emerge from this ordeal, and that the organization is trying to coordinate with these countries to provide aid to this country, which is a gateway for Francophonie in the region, and on this basis a decision was made to open a regional office for the organization in Lebanon during this year. In addition, Mrs. Mushikiwabo insisted on completing this matter despite all the difficulties.
Then, members of the Lebanese delegation consisting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Charbel Wehbe, Education Minister, Tariq Majzoub, Culture Minister, Abbas Mortada, President of the National Commission for Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukouz, former Minister Salim Jreisatti, and the Director General of the Presidency of the Republic Dr. Antoine Choucair, joined the meeting.
Also attending the meeting were: The personal representative of the President of the Republic to the Francophone Organization, Professor Jarjoura Hardan, advisors Osama Khashab and Antoine Constantine.
Members of Mrs. Mushikiwabo’s accompanying delegation: Secretary General of the Association of Francophone Parliaments, Jacques Krabal, President of the NGO Conference, Ndeye Marie Fall, Chancellor Vanessa Lamothe, Director of the Office Regional Agency for Francophonie University, Jean Noel Paleo.
During the meeting, the Francophone delegation presented the tripartite message that it wanted to convey through this visit.
The first message indicated support and solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese, and an emphasis on the great role that this country plays on the civilizational and cultural levels. The second message is to ask the Lebanese political class to seek a solution to the current political crisis. The third message is to consult on what the organization can do to help the Lebanese women we count on and their role, in addition to strengthening cooperation in the cultural and educational field.
On the other hand, the Lebanese delegation reiterated its affirmation of the importance it attaches to the role of the Francophone Organization in Lebanon, and its commitment to the values and principles that made Lebanon affiliated with this organization, thanking La Francophonie’s assistance in Lebanon during the exceptional situation which it passes through due to the successive crises, and its impact on regional problems. The Lebanese delegation then relied on the role of the organization and friendly countries to lend a helping hand to Lebanon.
At the end, Mrs. Mushikiwabo and Minister Wehba, in the presence of President Aoun, signed the documents on the “Project of the organization’s work in Lebanon”, which is based on three main axes:
-Promoting the use of the French language by creating a favorable atmosphere and supporting the Lebanese-Francophone media.
-Spreading education in the French language by activating teacher education and women’s independence by allowing the most affected female component to engage in the fields of health, education and economic development.
-Supporting women’s participation in political life.
Then the Secretary-General wrote the following in the Golden Record:
“I am glad to be in this country which is a beacon for our organization, during this difficult time which the Lebanese people pass through. The organization is confidently and impatiently waiting for the Lebanese political class to find a solution to get out of this crisis. We will always be by your side”.
Mrs. Mushikiwabo’s Statement:
“I am pleased to be in Beirut, in this beautiful country, the bearer of the Francophonie Organization. Being the Secretary-General of this organization, I came for three basic issues in this difficult circumstance. First, to express the solidarity of the Francophonie family with the Lebanese people. We are watching from four parts of the world, with great concern, the situation in Lebanon, but we are convinced that this country has the capabilities to overcome this crisis. I represent the Francophonie family, and I have come with the various departments of the organization, to affirm solidarity.
During the past months, we have expressed our solidarity and support, but we have shared our dears of seeing this country plunge into an unprecedented economic crisis, and we are here to assert that we support it.
The Second reason is that we ask and hope from the political class to seek short-term solutions, first to meet the living needs. We expected during our follow-up a few days ago on Mothers’ Day specifically, that the political class would be affected by the tears of the Lebanese mothers who were unable to secure food for their children. Our message to the Lebanese politicians is that we trust you from all over the world and we are waiting for urgent solutions from you.
The third reason is for cooperative goals with the Lebanese. We especially want to work with the Lebanese women. We are convinced that women can change societies, and that the physical, moral and internal strength which women enjoy is magical and cannot be changed. We will meet with the Lebanese civil society and we wish to support many Lebanese women.
The organization has taken a decision to open a regional office in Beirut, and we have decided to follow-up on this issue. We will remain by the side of our Lebanese brothers and sisters”.
It is noteworthy that the Francophonie Organization was established in 1970, and Lebanon joined after three years. The organization includes 54 countries, 7 partner countries and 27 observer countries. As for Mrs. Mushikiwabo, she is the 4th Secretary-general and was elected by Heads of State and Delegations in 2018 for a renewable term of 4 years. Mrs. Mushikiwabo is Rwandan and previously assumed the position of Foreign Affairs and Information Minister.
For her part, La Francophonie Secretary-General, Louise Mushikiwabo, conveyed, to President Aoun, the solidarity and support of the organization for Lebanon and the Lebanese in these difficult circumstances. Mushikiwabo asked the political class to seek quick solutions to the current crisis and praised Lebanon and its role in the organization, affirming the continuation of the plan to open the regional office in Beirut, this year.
Stances of President Aoun came while meeting La Francophonie Secretary-General, Mrs. Louise Mushikiwabo, who was accompanied by a delegation, today at the Presidential Palace.
A ceremonial platoon was held by the Republican Guard Brigade, before Mrs. Mushikiwabo held a bilateral meeting with the President.
Bilateral Meeting:
During the meeting, the President welcomed the General Secretary in Lebanon, and stressed the importance that Lebanon attaches to the Francophonie and the organization which works to help Lebanon, thanking the Secretary General for her appeal, which she launched last August, to help the Lebanese.
President Aoun also stressed the role that the countries belonging to the organization can play in helping during this unprecedented ordeal which the country passes through, during which simultaneous problems and obstacles are faced (an economic crisis, the Corona virus, the Beirut port explosion, the burden of receiving displaced Syrians, ...).
Then, the President stated that Lebanon is working on trying to confront the global epidemic, as a vaccination campaign was launched for the Lebanese, expressing his hope that the largest possible portion could receive the vaccine in a quick time.
For her part, Ms. Mushikiwabo thanked President Aoun for receiving her and the accompanying delegation, stressing that “Lebanon is able to overcome the difficulties it faces, as it has always done”.
Mrs. Mushikiwabo then pointed out that it is important for the Francophone Organization to be present in Lebanon through the Secretary General, in order to convey the support of the Organization’s countries to Lebanon and its people. She also indicated that many countries are ready to provide assistance to Lebanon to emerge from this ordeal, and that the organization is trying to coordinate with these countries to provide aid to this country, which is a gateway for Francophonie in the region, and on this basis a decision was made to open a regional office for the organization in Lebanon during this year. In addition, Mrs. Mushikiwabo insisted on completing this matter despite all the difficulties.
Then, members of the Lebanese delegation consisting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Charbel Wehbe, Education Minister, Tariq Majzoub, Culture Minister, Abbas Mortada, President of the National Commission for Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukouz, former Minister Salim Jreisatti, and the Director General of the Presidency of the Republic Dr. Antoine Choucair, joined the meeting.
Also attending the meeting were: The personal representative of the President of the Republic to the Francophone Organization, Professor Jarjoura Hardan, advisors Osama Khashab and Antoine Constantine.
Members of Mrs. Mushikiwabo’s accompanying delegation: Secretary General of the Association of Francophone Parliaments, Jacques Krabal, President of the NGO Conference, Ndeye Marie Fall, Chancellor Vanessa Lamothe, Director of the Office Regional Agency for Francophonie University, Jean Noel Paleo.
During the meeting, the Francophone delegation presented the tripartite message that it wanted to convey through this visit.
The first message indicated support and solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese, and an emphasis on the great role that this country plays on the civilizational and cultural levels. The second message is to ask the Lebanese political class to seek a solution to the current political crisis. The third message is to consult on what the organization can do to help the Lebanese women we count on and their role, in addition to strengthening cooperation in the cultural and educational field.
On the other hand, the Lebanese delegation reiterated its affirmation of the importance it attaches to the role of the Francophone Organization in Lebanon, and its commitment to the values and principles that made Lebanon affiliated with this organization, thanking La Francophonie’s assistance in Lebanon during the exceptional situation which it passes through due to the successive crises, and its impact on regional problems. The Lebanese delegation then relied on the role of the organization and friendly countries to lend a helping hand to Lebanon.
At the end, Mrs. Mushikiwabo and Minister Wehba, in the presence of President Aoun, signed the documents on the “Project of the organization’s work in Lebanon”, which is based on three main axes:
-Promoting the use of the French language by creating a favorable atmosphere and supporting the Lebanese-Francophone media.
-Spreading education in the French language by activating teacher education and women’s independence by allowing the most affected female component to engage in the fields of health, education and economic development.
-Supporting women’s participation in political life.
Then the Secretary-General wrote the following in the Golden Record:
“I am glad to be in this country which is a beacon for our organization, during this difficult time which the Lebanese people pass through. The organization is confidently and impatiently waiting for the Lebanese political class to find a solution to get out of this crisis. We will always be by your side”.
Mrs. Mushikiwabo’s Statement:
“I am pleased to be in Beirut, in this beautiful country, the bearer of the Francophonie Organization. Being the Secretary-General of this organization, I came for three basic issues in this difficult circumstance. First, to express the solidarity of the Francophonie family with the Lebanese people. We are watching from four parts of the world, with great concern, the situation in Lebanon, but we are convinced that this country has the capabilities to overcome this crisis. I represent the Francophonie family, and I have come with the various departments of the organization, to affirm solidarity.
During the past months, we have expressed our solidarity and support, but we have shared our dears of seeing this country plunge into an unprecedented economic crisis, and we are here to assert that we support it.
The Second reason is that we ask and hope from the political class to seek short-term solutions, first to meet the living needs. We expected during our follow-up a few days ago on Mothers’ Day specifically, that the political class would be affected by the tears of the Lebanese mothers who were unable to secure food for their children. Our message to the Lebanese politicians is that we trust you from all over the world and we are waiting for urgent solutions from you.
The third reason is for cooperative goals with the Lebanese. We especially want to work with the Lebanese women. We are convinced that women can change societies, and that the physical, moral and internal strength which women enjoy is magical and cannot be changed. We will meet with the Lebanese civil society and we wish to support many Lebanese women.
The organization has taken a decision to open a regional office in Beirut, and we have decided to follow-up on this issue. We will remain by the side of our Lebanese brothers and sisters”.
It is noteworthy that the Francophonie Organization was established in 1970, and Lebanon joined after three years. The organization includes 54 countries, 7 partner countries and 27 observer countries. As for Mrs. Mushikiwabo, she is the 4th Secretary-general and was elected by Heads of State and Delegations in 2018 for a renewable term of 4 years. Mrs. Mushikiwabo is Rwandan and previously assumed the position of Foreign Affairs and Information Minister.
