Qatar has participated in the 110th meeting of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie which was held under the chairmanship of HE the Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo.
Qatar's ambassador to France and its representative to the OIF, Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani represented the country at the meeting through video conferencing technology.
The meeting discussed developments in the situation in the Francophone space, the prospects for the development of La Francophonie, in addition to reviewing of the options available to the OIF to confront Covid-19 pandemic.
The Permanent Council of la Francophonie praised the unity and solidarity of la Francophonie states and governments in facing the repercussions of the global health crisis, and welcomed the Secretary-General's call for greater pluralism within the organisation.
Furthermore, the Council approved the Secretary-General's proposal to establish a "La Francophonie avec Elles" fund, which will be dedicated to supporting women and girls in vulnerable situations, especially in Africa and the Caribbean, due to the consequences of the current health crisis.
Since joining the OIF as an associate member in 2012, Qatar has been committed to the values of La Francophonie and contributing to the promotion of the French language, as the number of French speakers and the schools that teach it is constantly increasing in Qatar.
Qatar is also keen to participate in the various summits, ministerial conferences and meetings held by the organisation at all levels, and continues its efforts to create a permanent dialogue between the Arab and francophone cultures. Qatar is looking forward to participating in the upcoming francophone Summit in Tunisia.
Qatar also supports programmes and initiatives emanating from the OIF, in close co-operation with the ambassadors of the Francophonie countries, and also organises a number of cultural events, especially in the context of the cultural year 'Qatar - France 2020'.
Qatar also places youth, women in particular, at the centre of its initiatives being a pillars to the national strategy of Qatar National Vision 2030.
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