Le Journal de l’Afrique reports in its edition of this Thursday, September 30, “that after bitter discussions between Kaïs Saïed and the Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Louise Muchikiwabo, the latter wishes to withdraw from Tunisia the organization of the Summit of the Francophonie scheduled for November in Djerba”.
This “wish” comes following the telephone conversation yesterday between the Head of State and the Secretary General of the OIF, which has 88 States and Governments: 54 members, 7 associate members and 27 observers. According to the presidency’s statement, this meeting “focused on several issues, including in particular the organization of the XVIII th Summit of La Francophonie”. Louise Mushikiwabo announced, on this occasion, that she will make a visit to Tunisia in the coming days, adds the same source. Initially scheduled in Tunis, on 12 and 13 December 2020, the 18th summit of La Francophonie was postponed to 20 and 21 November in Djerba in common agreement between the President of the Republic and the Secretary General of the OIF, due to the health crisis that has affected all the countries of the world and the uncertainties that may result. The choice of the island of Djerba aimed to give “a new impetus to this popular tourist destination in the heart of the Mediterranean”.
National Organizing Committee A Government Decree establishing a National Organizing Committee was promulgated on May 20, 2019. Chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, the National Organizing Committee of the XVIII th Summit of La Francophonie is composed of representatives of the Presidency of the Republic and the Presidency of the Government as well as Ministers in charge of several departments. But after the election of Kais Saied as President of the Republic, things began to go wrong, despite the will expressed by the Head of State to ensure the preparation of good conditions for the organization of the Summit.
Most recently, a ministerial delegation composed of the Director of the Presidential Cabinet, the Ministers of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Health and Equipment visited Djerba (Medenine governorate) on 15 September, where they inquired about the preparations for the XVIII Summit of La Francophonie, scheduled for 20 and 21 November 2021, on the island of Djerba. It was followed by a delegation composed of 27 diplomats from French-speaking countries accredited to Tunisia, making a two-day visit, on 16 and 17 September, to the island of Djerba. In a statement to Tap’s correspondence in Medenine, Senegalese Ambassador Ramatoulaye Ba Faye, in her capacity as President of the GAF (Group of Francophone Ambassadors), expressed her level satisfaction with the preparations observed. The summit turns into a fiasco? However, according to the Journal d’Afrique, this somment has been turning into a fiasco for several weeks now. The tenders were launched by the municipality of Houmt Souk at the end of July, less than four months before the event.
A delay that quickly seemed impossible to catch up. Especially since several other scandals have come to enamel the preparation of this summit, among which the “disappearance” of 7.5 million euros. Tunisian Foreign Minister Othmane Jerandi could not explain the gaping hole in the state coffers. In circles close to the palace of Carthage, opinions are unanimous: if he has extended invitations to his counterparts during his various trips, President Kaïs Saïed has always been reluctant to host a summit that is expensive, in a period marked by an acute political crisis.
While the former head of government Hichem Mechichi had proposed, last June, to postpone the summit once again, the head of state did not want to hear about it. To do better, then, cancel the Summit of the Francophonie which we knew was impossible to organize in a few months?
Article adapted from « Le journal de l’Afrique » Translated by Rifi-JDD
