Speaker of Rwanda Parliament Donatille Mukabarisa during the press briefing
Rwanda will this week host the 47th Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF) which will be an opportunity for member assemblies to discuss sustainable peace in Africa and the world.
The l’Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) comes to Kigali at a time when the great lakes and West African French speaking countries are among areas where there activities of terrorism, instability and regional conflicts.
The Speaker of Rwanda Parliament Donatile Mukabalisa, the assembly host said that the meeting will be an opportunity to discuss and make oversight recommendations on ways of restoring peace and security in Francophonie countries.
“It is the role of parliaments to strive for sustainable peace and during the assembly, we will do our job of oversight to find ways of finding possible solutions,” Mukabalisa said today during a press briefing.
The briefing comes ahead of the assembly meeting that will run from July 5-9, 2022 starting with committee meetings and expected to be officially opened by Secretary General of Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo on July 8, 2022.
Mukabalisa condemned the acts of terrorism saying that this is a sad reality the world is facing due to poor governance, and called on the participants to ensure that this situation is addressed at the assembly as part of the role of parliaments.
Mukabalisa said the current conflict in DR Congo is not on the agenda but it could surface among other security issues of which the parliamentary assemblies are responsible to ensure that peace and good governance prevails.
The Presidetn of AFP Francophonie Adama Bictogo(in grey suit) on arrival at Kigali International airport speaks with Deputy speaker Edda Mukabagwiza
The assembly will gather at least 300 participants from 90 assemblies in the APF of which Rwanda is one of the members since the country joined the Francophonie community.
Mukabalisa said that this will be an opportunity for the country to showcase, share best practices and progress in peace building, socio-economic growth and development in the last 28 years, but also sell the country’s image as an ideal tourist destination.
“This Session will be also an opportunity for the Parliament of Rwanda in particular and for the Rwandans in general, to show and share the experience and achievements of the country in the process of socio-economic development 28 years after the genocide committed against the Tutsis,” Mukabalisa said.
“We are happy to be able to contribute to ensuring that the Francophonie parliament is active and continues to be in touch with the world in which it evolves.”
The 47th Session of the APF to be held in Kigali follows another 12th Conference of Presidents of Assemblies and Sections of the African Region of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie countries held in Kigali in May, 2021.
