Founded on the sharing of the French language, spoken by more than 340 million people worldwide (2022 estimate), La Francophonie constitutes a linguistic, cultural and political space spanning all five continents.
Created in 1970 in Niamey as the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT), the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) is today a multilateral organisation bringing together 90 member, associate and observer states and governments. Its action is guided by the Charter of La Francophonie, adopted in 1997, which defines its principles, missions and institutional framework.
The highest political authority of La Francophonie is the Summit of Heads of State and Government, which sets the organisation’s major strategic orientations. The Secretary General of La Francophonie ensures the political and institutional coordination of the OIF and oversees the implementation of these orientations.
The OIF implements Francophone multilateral cooperation in close coordination with the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF) and relies on a network of recognised operators, including the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), TV5MONDE, the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) and Senghor University in Alexandria. This institutional ecosystem enables La Francophonie to act at multiple levels, mobilising public, academic, cultural and territorial stakeholders.
The missions of the OIF are structured around four complementary pillars: promoting the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity; advancing peace, democracy and human rights; supporting education, training, higher education and research; and fostering economic and solidarity-based cooperation in support of sustainable development.
Across all its actions, the OIF pays particular attention to young people and women, as well as to access to information and communication technologies. Present across all continents, it provides a unique framework for multilateral dialogue and cooperation, grounded in shared values and an inclusive approach to today’s major global challenges.
ENERGIES 2050 and the OIF
ENERGIES 2050 has engaged with the International Organization of La Francophonie since its creation and has, over the years, contributed to a range of projects and programmes led by the OIF, both in collaboration with headquarters directorates and regional offices, in line with its sectoral priorities. These interactions have notably addressed cross-cutting themes such as climate diplomacy, the promotion of women’s and youth rights, as well as emblematic Francophonie initiatives, including the Francophonie Games.
These cooperations translate into the implementation of concrete and transformational projects, aimed at strengthening stakeholders’ capacities, supporting territories and generating lasting impacts, in coherence with the values and priorities of La Francophonie and those of ENERGIES 2050.
They also take place within the OIF’s broader institutional ecosystem, through exchanges and collaborations with several of its bodies and operators, including the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Senghor University in Alexandria, the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF), the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) and the Institute of the Francophonie for Sustainable Development (IFDD).
Since 2018, ENERGIES 2050 has also been a member of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (COING) of La Francophonie and participates in its five thematic commissions, thereby contributing to the reflections and dynamics of Francophone civil society in connection with the OIF’s major orientations and priorities.