Mauritius: Mauritius puts up de l’Estrac for Francophonie chairmanship

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – Mauritian Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, on Friday officially proposed the candidacy of Jean-Claude de l’Estrac, current Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) for Francophonie, as chairman of the International Francophone organization.

A new secretary-general will succeed Senegalese Abdou Diouf who has been chairing the International Francophone organization since 2002.

In his message to mark the celebration of International Francophonie Day celebrated on 20 March every year, Mr Ramgoolam said that the time for the Indian Ocean had come.

"Jean-Claude de L’Estrac, a man of culture and progress, an experienced diplomat devoted to the challenges of the future and a communicator, will make the Francophonie voice heard everywhere in the world.”

President Ramgoolam said that the Mauritian candidate embodied "the wealth of a mobilising project for our countries which expects a lot from an active Francophonie in service of a globalization that respects their diversity".

The former Senegalese president, Abdou Diouf, who will end his third term in November, said he would not stand for a fourth term. The International Francophone organization does not limit the number of terms in its Charter.
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