November 26, 2004
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER

Mr. President,

Heads of States and Governments

Mr. Secretary General

Dear friends,

I am very pleased to be in Africa today for my first Francophone Summit. The hospitality shown by the Burkinan people has been extraordinary, and I would like to thank President Compaoré for being such an attentive host.

I salute the “Land of People of Integrity, Courage and Worthy of Respect.” That is your country’s name in your first two national languages, Mossi and Jula. Representing a bilingual and multicultural country myself, I applaud the cultural diversity of our host country as well as its attachment to the Francophonie movement that has brought us here today.

I would also like to recognize the presence of new members and observer countries, candidates for admission to La Francophonie, including Eastern and Central European countries. You bear witness to our organization’s vitality.

This year, Canada is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the arrival, in 1604, of the first French explorers in Acadia, in the persons of Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugas-Demons. In a very real sense, this marked the founding of Canada and the starting point for Canada’s Francophonie.

We have come a long way since a handful of intrepid souls arrived in North America, setting foot on “a few acres of snow”. The French fact in Canada has never stopped evolving. It is the bravery of the Acadians and of all Francophones throughout Canada that I have in mind today when I tell you how proud I am to lead a modern, bilingual and multicultural country.

Our commitment to the Francophonie community is a key element of Canada’s presence on the international scene. I invoke the memory of African Presidents Senghor, Bourguiba and Diori, to whom we owe the creation of the major institutions of La Francophonie. Canada has played a part right from day one.

Today, having existed for over 40 years, La Francophonie finds itself at a crossroads. At a time when a wave of reform is sweeping the multilateral world, starting with the United Nations, our Community must stake out its position as a globally important political forum.

And we have, in fact, made a great deal of progress. We adopted the Charter of La Francophonie in Hanoi, the Luxembourg Declaration on Women, and the important Bamako Declaration on peace, democracy, human rights and good governance, which marks a fundamental milestone in our organization. There was also the confirmation, at the Beirut Summit, of La Francophonie’s role as a driving force behind UNESCO’s plans to adopt an international convention for the protection of cultural diversity. Just recently, Canada officially submitted its comments on the draft convention, and we in La Francophonie should congratulate ourselves for our unified and outstanding efforts on this project of fundamental importance.

I call upon all present here who have not done so as yet to forward as soon as possible their own comments to UNESCO.

La Francophonie has worked very hard to get where it is today, but it must define its priorities better, specify where it wants to be visible, become more effective and, on a more basic level, target its vision and actions. As a meaningful international organization, it must be in tune with its sister organizations and have the courage of its convictions.

The strategic framework that La Francophonie will adopt during this Summit will lend greater consistency to its upcoming actions on our four main fronts:

- promoting French and cultural diversity;
- promoting peace, democracy and good governance;
- reducing poverty in favour of sustainable development; and
- supporting education, training and higher learning.

We have a modern and efficient organization under the authority of the Secretary General, whose invaluable contribution I would like to single out for special praise. Under his leadership and with a targeted strategy, La Francophonie will become more than ever a relevant, sought-after and credible partner on the world stage.

In the context of this strategy, the Summit’s theme, “Solidarity for Sustainable Development,” offers food for thought.

First, I would like everyone to know how proud we are that Kenya’s Wangari Maathai is the first African woman ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of her environmental work. This award symbolizes everything that brings us together here today: the search for economic progress in Africa, continued efforts to achieve sustainable development, contribution to democracy and peace, and the emphasis on women’s rights.

Canada favours an approach to sustainable development that fosters accountability on the part of both the donor and recipient countries, as well as a genuine partnership. La Francophonie, whose ranks include many of the world’s poorest countries, must be able to rely on its members to honour the commitments made in the major international conventions, such as Doha, Monterrey, Johannesburg and NEPAD.

La Francophonie must conclude a pact. In it, member countries would pledge solidarity to protect the environment, particularly in Africa – a jewel of nature that must be preserved. It must do its part to implement the Kyoto Protocol. In this regard, Canada wants to encourage La Francophonie’s developing countries to become involved in the upcoming negotiations on climate, set to begin in 2005.

I invite the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie to organize a special conference of experts and decision-makers with a view to making the leaders of the Francophonie member States more aware of the issues involved in future negotiations on climate. The OIF could task the Institut de l’Énergie et de l’Environnement de la Francophonie with continuing its efforts to explain to businesspeople the advantages growing out of the Clean Development Mechanism, created by the Kyoto Protocol.

Mr. President,

More than ever, international developments dictate that we, the Heads of State and Government of La Francophonie, join forces to examine a number of critical situations and to contemplate ways of bringing them to a speedy conclusion. We must have a frank discussion of these issues. It is only through dialogue that we can find solutions.

I will begin with the continent that is hosting us. And while I feel it is necessary to discuss the crises buffeting Africa, this is not to minimize various other progress that has been accomplished on African soil.

But I cannot turn a deaf ear to the serious events of recent weeks in Côte d’Ivoire. I would like to strongly reiterate that a political – and not a military – resolution to the crisis is the only possible and viable solution. We feel that in this regard, La Francophonie must not take a back seat to the United Nations, the African Union and several African Heads of State. It is a question of coherence. Canada fully subscribes to Resolution 1572, which strikes us as essential after a more than two-year impasse. We support the Ivorian mediation initiatives spearheaded by a number of African VIPs. In the context of the Bamako Declaration, I must express our deep concern with the repeated human rights violations, the many incitements to hatred and the culture of impunity that have plagued this country. Those responsible for the violence must be brought to justice. The Ivorian government is responsible for protecting its fellow citizens and all foreigners living in the country.

La Francophonie, Africa and the international community need a vibrant Côte d’Ivoire, complete with stable institutions, a prosperous economy and its territorial integrity intact.

I also spoke of progress: the adoption of the Dar-es-Salam Declaration, produced last Saturday by the International Conference on the Great Lakes region, is an example. We are very pleased with the Declaration, and urge the signatories to implement its provisions. We’re on the right track. The Africans living in this region, ravaged far too long by war, pillaging and chronic poor governance, have come up with their own regional solutions that will finally make it possible to work together and facilitate essential transitions. Dialogue and cooperation are creating a climate of trust, security and stability conducive to pursuing the transitions underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, normalization of relations among the various actors, and last but not least, regional integration.

Finally, my thoughts turn to Darfur, where the situation remains serious. Efforts at mediation and the presence in the field of the African Union mission must bring a halt to the cruelty inflicted on the civilian population.

During a stopover in Khartoum on my way to the Summit, I had the chance to meet with President al-Bechir. I expressed to him our conviction that resolving the crisis in Darfur would be much easier if the Naivasha talks led to a comprehensive solution to the dispute in the South.

I applaud the contribution of the various African countries that are supplying troops for the African Union mission, as well as the role played by the Peace and Security Council, which is spearheading the Union’s efforts in this terrible conflict. If need be, Canada will train more military peace trainers, who in turn will help the African Union forces carry out their mission to the best of their ability.

We must all help the African Union, as well as the relevant regional organizations, to build their peace-making and -keeping capacities. The crisis in Darfur calls into play the Responsibility to Protect, a humanitarian concept being studied by the United Nations. We must give ourselves the tools to act. To that end, I propose that our responsible ministers meet as soon as possible before the next Summit to examine problems involving conflict prevention and human security in the Francophone world. We would be pleased to host this Francophonie conference in Canada. The resulting declaration would go hand in hand with our efforts to consolidate democracy and governance structures in fragile States.

Lastly, I would like to discuss Haiti, a brother country to us all, which I visited 10 days ago to reaffirm Canada’s lasting commitment. I stressed the importance for political actors and civil society representatives of being open to dialogue. I also stressed the importance of reconciliation and tolerance. This openness is possible only if the population can freely express themselves on the future of their country. The Haitian population must turn toward the future, and not the past.

Peace must return to the islanders’ hearts, and Haitian expatriates must speak with one voice in favour of peace, stability and democracy in Haiti.

La Francophonie is taking concrete steps to help rebuild this country. I applaud the discussions under way to support Haiti’s justice sector among Canada, the European Union and the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie.

Mr. President, dear friends, I am convinced that Ouagadougou will be the Summit of maturity, consolidation and sustainable development. But it will also be a summit of truth and a test of La Francophonie’s leadership. We are an important actor on the international scene. We must give ourselves the tools we need to act.

The Secretary General of La Francophonie was kind enough to talk about the 400th anniversary of the first Acadian settlement on American soil and the staging of the 2008 Summit in Canada. Since it is no longer a secret for anyone, I look forward to see you all in Quebec City in 2008.

Dear friends, allow me to conclude by expressing my hope that the values that unite us will contribute to peace and progress, not only in the Francophone space but throughout the world.

I wish us all a very productive Summit.

Thank you.