A flag-raising ceremony has been held to commemorate the 54th Anniversary of the International Organisation of La Francophonie under the theme “Create, Innovate, Undertake in French.”
The ceremony which was held at the forecourt of the State House on Wednesday 20th March 2024 happened in the presence of H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President of Ghana, H.E Mr Maher Kheir Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Ambrose Dery Minister for the Interior, Hon. John Ntim Fordjuor, Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare, H.E. Thi Hoang Mai Tran, West African Regional Representative for OIF, Ambassadors and members of the Diplomatic Corps among others.
In his address, H.E President Nana Akufo-Addo said that the OIF stands as a testament to the foresight and dedication of its founding fathers to advance the use French language, encouraging cultural and linguistic diversity and promoting peace, security and harmony amongst people across the world.
“The various Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed between Ghana and the OIF and its Member States have yielded fruitful partnerships, exemplified by agreements such as the Linguistic Pact signed in May 2018 and the Teacher Mobility Program initiated in November 2021” he stated.He commended the OIF for its new 2024-2027 programme which will focus on education and Culture, democracy and good governance, and sustainable development.“We in Ghana applaud the efforts of this programme in meeting the needs of French-speaking populations, and we are proud to be part of this transformative journey” he added.President Akufo-Addo called for deepened collaborations among member countries to combat the threats of today’s world.He also announced Ghana’s application for full member status in the OIF ahead of the upcoming Summit in France.
On his part, H.E. Mr Maher Kheir, the Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana and the President of La Francophonie Ambassadors’ Group, in his address noted the important role of the Francophonie and French languages.He called for deeper partnerships among members to build a better world.
Also in attendance were officials from the Security Services as well as students and teachers from various schools in Ghana.
The President of the Francophonie Ambassadors’ Group H.E Mr. Maher Kheir and the West African Regional Representative for OIF H.E. Thi Hoang Mai Tran raised the Francophonie flag while the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey raised the flag of Ghana.
