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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth and La Francophonie to collaborate on trade

7 November 2003

A Memorandum of Understanding outlining collaboration between the Commonwealth and La Francophonie in the area of trade was signed on Thursday, 6 November, at a meeting between Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and the Secretary-General of La Francophonie Abdou Diouf.

Under this agreement, the two organisations will work together in providing trade advice to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The Commonwealth and La Francophonie received €17 million from the European Commission for this four-year project called "Hub and Spokes".

Piloted in the Pacific, the project will provide an innovative network of trade advisers based in regional organisations (the "hubs") who will coordinate the activities of advisers (the "spokes") working in trade ministries of individual countries.

Commenting on the agreement Mr McKinnon said: "Providing trade advice to developing countries and ensuring they get a good deal - not a raw deal - in international trade negotiations is at the heart of the Commonwealth's work. I am very pleased that we are able to collaborate with La Francophonie in this area. The funding provided by the European Commission for this project demonstrates its confidence in our joint ability to deliver results."

The head of La Francophonie Abdou Diouf said: "This is a very exciting project. I have no doubt that it will lead to a very fruitful collaboration which reflects the values and objectives we all share."

This was the first time Don McKinnon and Abdou Diouf have met as Secretaries-General. They discussed issues of common political concern, including ways in which their organisations could continue to work together to enhance democracy and development in member nations and prevent international conflict.



During their meeting, they explored the possibility of increasing collaboration on debt management. Commonwealth Secretariat debt management software has already been translated into French and there is growing demand for its use in Francophone countries.



Note to Editors

The Secretaries-General of the Commonwealth and La Francophonie meet every year to discuss issues of joint concern. The last meeting took place in London in May 2002 between Mr McKinnon and the then Francophonie Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Today's Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and Roger Dehaybe, Director of the Intergovernmental Francophonie Agency, the development arm of La Francophonie.

The first Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth and La Francophonie was signed in 1992 and outlines modalities of collaboration in the areas of economic and social development.


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