Paris (Dawan Africa) – The Government of Djibouti participated in the 50th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophone Countries (APF), held in Paris from July 9 to 14.
The annual gathering brought together over 100 parliamentarians from five continents. As the highest parliamentary institution of the Francophonie organization, the APF was founded in 1967 and currently includes 95 member parliaments united by shared values of democracy, rule of law, human rights, and the promotion of the French language.
Djibouti was represented by Dileita Mohamed Dileita, the Speaker of the National Assembly, who actively participated in various debates and high-level meetings. Notably, on Saturday, he attended a meeting at the Élysée Palace, where French President Emmanuel Macron met with the heads of Francophone parliaments.
According to the Djibouti News Agency (ADI), Dileita expressed gratitude to the French government for its hospitality and reiterated the importance of the strategic partnership between Djibouti and France. He also underscored Djibouti's continued support for the bilateral defense agreement between the two countries, recently ratified by the French Senate, calling it “a clear sign of trust and sustained cooperation.” France maintains a key military base in Djibouti.
This year's APF session focused on key issues such as good governance, youth participation, women’s empowerment, combating disinformation, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on modern democratic systems.
For Djibouti, participation in the APF provided a crucial opportunity to highlight regional priorities and strengthen cooperation with other Francophone countries across Africa, Europe, and beyond