REPORT

The parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) is honoured to present this report on its parliamentary mission to New York, United States of America, on June 9, 2023. The Canadian delegation consisted of Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament, President of the APF and Chair of the Canadian Branch, and administrative secretary Julie Pelletier.

PARLIAMENTARY MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

On January 31, 2023, the APF Bureau instructed the President of the APF, Francis Drouin, to begin the process of applying for the APF to be granted observer status by the United Nations (UN).

A delegation of the Canadian Branch of the APF travelled to New York for an exploratory mission on March 14 and 15, 2023. During this mission, the delegation met with His Excellency Mohamed Siad Doualeh, Permanent Representative of Djibouti to the United Nations and President of the Francophone Ambassadors Group in New York. At that meeting, Ambassador Doualeh invited President Drouin to speak about the APF’s application at a future meeting of the Francophone Ambassadors Group.

Accordingly, President Drouin addressed the Francophone Ambassadors Group at its monthly meeting on June 9, 2023, at the headquarters of the Permanent Representation of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) to the UN. The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of Djibouti and Ifigeneia Kontoleontos (Greece), who is the Permanent Representative of the OIF, as well as representatives of the following missions: Albania, Andorra, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Greece, Guinea, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Moldavia, Niger, North Macedonia, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal and Togo.

Mr. Drouin described the mandate of the APF, which is to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and explained the APF’s three main reasons for seeking observer status at the UN: one, to strengthen the status of French and promote multilingualism at international bodies; two, to help promote the fundamental values espoused by the UN; and three, to contribute to building a multilateralism that is more inclusive of francophone peoples and that involves more networking. He closed by asking the ambassadors present to support the APF’s request.

OTHER MEETINGS

The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with other stakeholders. First, it met with the following representatives of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations: Sarah Simoneau, Adviser (Public Affairs), and Béatrice Maillé, Minister-Counselor (Legal, Social and Human Rights) and Legal Adviser. Together, they discussed details that will have to be included in the memorandum that must accompany the request for observer status, the steps for obtaining approval, the various UN bodies involved in the process, and strategies that the APF could employ in the coming months to move its request forward.

The delegation then met with Yaninee Nachom, Counsellor to His Excellency Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the UN and recently elected Chair of the Sixth Committee (Legal Affairs). President Drouin explained that the APF is hoping to apply for observer status. Ms. Nachom offered advice regarding the application process and the review of the application by the Sixth Committee.

Third, the delegation received a briefing on the political situation in Guinea from Manuel Torre, Political Affairs Officer, West Africa Division, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations of the United Nations. Ms. Torre outlined the current political situation, the confusion surrounding the duration of the transition period following the September 2021 coup d’état, and the aid provided by the UN, particularly with regard to capacity building for the judges and lawyers involved in the trial over the massacre of September 28, 2009. The country’s relations with the African Union and Economic Community of West Africa States were also addressed. This was followed by a discussion on the scope of action of the UN and APF in terms of peacebuilding in transitioning nations and the guidance they can each offer to help these nations restore constitutional order.

Lastly, Mr. Drouin met with Paddy Torsney, the Permanent Observer of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to the United Nations. They discussed the joint multilateral actions undertaken by both organizations and the importance of robust interparliamentary cooperation that fosters the sharing of good parliamentary practices for the protection and consolidation of democracy, peace and sustainable development.

Respectfully submitted,

Francis Drouin, MP

President of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie

Chair, Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie