The Organizing Committee, officially installed on 22 January by Hon. Hilarion Etong, President of the APF Cameroon branch, has now entered its operational phase.
cheduled for 7–12 July 2026, the assem- bly will bring to- gether over 400 delegates from almost 100 parliamentary bodies and inter-parliamentary organiza- tions representing the Fran- cophone community worldwide, spanning Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. In addition, an estimated 100 young parlia- mentarians will join the de- bates and workshops, reinforcing the APF’s em- phasis on youth participation and generational renewal in democratic life
Founded in 1967 as a forum for French-speaking law- makers, the APF has grown into a major political space for debate, legislative ex- change and diplomatic dia- logue, with a mandate to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights across the Francophone world. Its resolutions and recommendations often in- form policies advanced at the highest levels of the broader Francophonie com- munity.
In the past week, members of the Organizing Committee have moved swiftly to transition from planning meetings to implementation. With 15 sub-committees now established to handle logistics, protocol, commu- nication, security, transport and other critical functions, coordina- tors are meeting regularly to refine timelines, liaise with foreign delegations and align national agencies behind op- erational priorities.
Political analysts suggest the 51st General Assembly will be more than a diplomatic gathering. “This session offers an opportunity for Cameroon to deepen legislative collaboration on pressing global challenges, from democratic governance and climate resilience to economic cooperation, through the lens of Francophone parliamentary action”. Following the successful 50th session held in Paris in July 2025, where several new members were welcomed into the assembly and high- level discussions took place on cross-continental cooper- ation, Cameroon now as- sumes the mantle of host under the leadership of Hon. Etong, who serves as both Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and President of the APF
Claudette CHIN
