Organisation internationale de la Francophonie - Institutional Support 2015-2017

This grant constitutes Canada’s long-term institutional support to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). The OIF uses these funds along with other donors’ funding to achieve its mandate. The OIF’s mandate includes: (1) promoting the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity; (2) promoting peace democracy and human rights; (3) supporting education training higher learning and research; and (4) promoting sustainable economic development and solidarity. The OIF aims to incorporate the crosscutting themes of youth and gender equality in implementing its specific strategic objectives . The OIF conducts its activities in conjunction with other Francophonie institutions civil society and national international and multilateral organizations. It delivers programming through advocacy project financing technical assistance training awareness-building and knowledge-sharing in French. Through its 2015-2022 Strategic Plan the OIF aims to incorporate the Francophonie’s activities into the international context of the fight against poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Canada’s support for OIF programming helps to build respect for the French language in an overall context of cultural and linguistic diversity reinforce democratic governance and the rule of law among its members ensure access to high-quality education and training for all children and develop the post-2015 development program.

The expected outcomes as stated by the OIF include: (1) an increase in the use of French in international relations and media; (2) an improvement in the availability of instruction in French as a second language in educational systems; (3) a strengthened capacity of national democratic and human-rights institutions; (4) the modernisation of judicial institutions and enhanced recognition of Francophone legal expertise; and (5) a strengthened capacity of Francophone actors to participate in international negotiations and discussions on the economy the environment and sustainable development.