The Speaker of the National Assembly of Québec has pledged to focus on parliamentary cooperation, democracy and dialogue across the Francophone world.
Nathalie Roy succeeds Cameroon’s Hon. Hilarion Etong, whose two-year mandate concluded after a session that brought together more than 400 parliamentarians and delegates to deliberate on multilateralism, State sovereignty and climate change. In accepting the presidency, the journalist, now Speaker of the National Assembly of Québec pledged to lead with “honour, gratitude, humanity and humility” while building on the work of her predecessor to reinforce the APF’s role as a forum for parliamentary diplomacy and democratic values.
During the two-day plenary, delegates adopted an APF opinion on “Reinvesting in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Stability,” which will be presented to Heads of State and government at the 20th Summit of La Francophonie. They also reaffirmed support for multilateral cooperation while respecting the sovereignty of States, approved resolutions on women’s entrepreneurship, combating plastic pollution, ethical responsibility in the fight against disinformation, human trafficking and youth employability, among other issues.
The Assembly also endorsed resolutions adopted by the Francophone Youth Parliament on climate-induced displacement, democratic participation, social media governance, and peace and security, underscoring the growing role of young people in shaping the future of the Francophonie.
Closing the session, Senate President HM. Aboubakary Abdoulaye welcomed what he described as the relevance and quality of the resolutions adopted by the APF’s various bodies and called for their effective implementation. He also expressed hope that the organisation would continue supporting the development of Cameroon’s Senate through strengthened parliamentary cooperation.
The Assembly concluded on the note that the APF Bureau will meet in Ottawa in January 2027, while the 52nd Session will be hosted by Luxembourg from 5 to 9 July 2027, where member parliaments will review progress on the commitments adopted in Yaounde.
Claudette Chin
