Francophone means French-speaking and their world is comprised of more than fifty countries on five continents where French is commonly used in one of several ways: As maternal language used in the home, daily means of public communication, as the official language used in government and business or as the principal language of education.
By Yemti Harry Ndienla
Onésime Reclus, a French geographer who wanted to classify people according to language, coined the word francophone in the nineteenth century. But the term never really caught on until the 1960s when Léopold Sédar Senghor, first president of Sénégal, and one of the founders of the Négritude, or black pride, movement used it consistently. Today, the word is universally recognized in French.
Furthermore, there are over 150 million francophones in the world today with two of every three living out of France. And analysts say the proportion is likely to continue to increase.
Over 50 Heads of State and government and 13 observer-nations from French speaking nations began meeting in Quebec City today for the 12th Summit of the International Organisation known as the Franchophonie. Meeting under the theme: democracy and the rule of law, economic governance, environment and the French language, the leaders are expected to work also on the candidacies of two countries; Lithuania and Thailand, who have expressed their willingness to joining the group. If admitted the number of francophonie countries will move to 57.
The meeting which is holding on the hill of festivities marking 400 years of the creation of Quebec (1608 to 2008) by Samuel de Champlen, will examine a number of issues tabled before them by the 24th conference of Ministers of the Francophonie that met in Quebec from the 15-16 October.
Reports say Canada has sacrificed a whooping 57 million Canadian Dollars for the success of both event especially in providing security measures to guarantee safety for the thousands of guests
It is hoped that by the end of the meeting - next Sunday, the Francophonie leaders would have agreed on what form of dynamism the French Language should be given across the world, as well as actions to be taken by member-countries to reinforce the Francophonie spirit and ideals.
Speaking during the official opening ceremony, Francophonie's Secretary General, Abdou Diouf, among others drew up a balance sheet of activities of the Summit since the 11th Summit in 2006 in Bucharest.
Canada is on record for hosting several events organized by Francophonie member-countries such as the 40th session of the International Union of the Francophonie press,the 28th general assembly of Francophonie mayors, Summit meeting on the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) among others.
The following is a list of countries, islands and territories where French is an important language of communication:
North America
| Canada St Pierre et Miquelon Islands (France) | United States (Official in Louisiana) |
Caribbean and South America
| Dominica (Dominique in French) Guadeloupe (France) Guiana (France, Guyane in French)
| Haïti Martinique (France) St. Lucia (Ste. Lucie In French) St. Bartholémy |
Europe
| Andorra (Andorre) Belgium (Belqique) France Jersey Island |
Africa
| Algeria (Algérie) Bénin Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon (Caméroun) Central African Republic (Centrafrique) Congo Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaïre) Egypt (Egypte) Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)
| Djibouti Gabon Guinea (Guinée) Mali Mauritania (Mauritanie) Niger Rwanda Senegal (Sénégal) Chad (Tchad) Togo Tunisia (Tunisie) Zaïre (Dem. Rep. of Congo as of 5/97) |
Indian Ocean
| Comoro Islands (Comores) Madagascar Mauricius (Ile Maurice) | Mayotte Reunion Island (Réunion)(France) Seychelle Islands (Séchelles) |
Pacific Ocean
| French Polynesia (Polynésie) including Tahiti New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie) | Wallis and Futuna (Wallis et Futuna) Vanuatu (formerly Nouvelles-Hébrides) |
Asia and Middle East
| Lebanon (Liban) Syria (Syrie) India (Inde) esp. Pondichéry province | Kampuchea (Cambodia/ Cambodge) Loas Viet Nam |
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