In a world fractured by conflict, calls for multilateral cooperation, peace and solidarity dominated the opening of the (APF) in Yaounde on 10 July 2026.
The hemicycle of the Paul Biya Glass House was filled to capacity on Friday as more than 400 parliamentarians, government officials and delegates from across the Francophone world gathered for the official opening of the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF). The ceremony placed under the patronage of President Paul Biya, and attended by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, members of government, diplomats and representatives of international organisations, set the tone for two days of deliberations on multilateralism, State sovereignty and climate change in the Francophone space.
The President of the Senate, Aboubakary Abdoulaye and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Théodore Datouo, were both decorated with the rank of Grand Officer of the Ordre de la Pléiade, in recognition of their contribution to parliamentary cooperation within the Francophonie.
Hon Datouo in his opening remarks said the Assembly’s deliberations would focus on two major issues: multilateralism and State sovereignty, and climate change in a Francophone world seeking development and solidarity. He reaffirmed Cameroon’s longstanding commitment to multilateralism, saying, “The Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie has, since its creation, been a privileged space for dialogue, mutual listening and cooperation.” Quoting President Paul Biya’s oft-repeated position that “the path of arms leads nowhere,” the Speaker urged delegates to transform their convictions into concrete action. “There can be no shared prosperity without peace,” he said, calling on parliamentarians to promote dialogue over confrontation and cooperation over division.
APF President Hon. Hilarion Etong observed that the Assembly was meeting at a time when international balances had become increasingly fragile. He cited prolonged wars, rising geopolitical tensions, democratic setbacks and climate challenges as threats to global cooperation. “Your decision to come to Yaounde signifies that the Parliamentary Francophonie continues to choose dialogue, solidarity and shared discussion,” he said, adding that solutions to today’s global challenges “are found in multilateralism, born not from uniformity but from mutual respect and recognition.”
Hon. Etong underscored the importance of engaging young people in building the future of the Francophonie, expressing hope that the voice emerging from Yaoundé would continue to champion peace, democracy and human dignity. Over the next two days, parliamentarians will seek to translate the calls for dialogue heard at the opening ceremony into concrete action through resolutions on peace, climate resilience and international cooperation. The session will culminate in the adoption of decisions expected to guide the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie’s contribution to addressing some of the most pressing global challenges facing its member states.
Claudette Chin
