This year, Agadir, Morocco, hosted an international gathering from October 12 to 15, which brought together nearly 340 participants from over 60 nationalities, along with an online audience of 550 attendees. The opening ceremony featured a distinguished lineup of speakers, including André Azoulay, Advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President of the International Academy of Scientific Francophonie (AIFS); Saïd Amzazi, Governor of the Souss-Massa region and Prefect of Agadir Ida Outanane; Karim Achengli, President of the Souss-Massa Regional Council; and Nabil Hmina, President of Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Morocco. Other notable figures included Diaka Sidibé, a member of the Guinean government, and Ahmed Nabil, the Minister of Higher Education from Djibouti.
During the event, seven prominent personalities shared their insights on the theme of "the role of scientific diplomacy in the face of global geopolitical challenges," which was the central focus of this sixth edition of the Scientific Francophonie Week (SMFS). André Azoulay emphasized the vital role of science, stating, "Science is the vital engine of all modernities. It must mobilize once again to help us master this new world, a time when all archaic issues resurface. In the face of this, science cannot remain silent! It has a voice to protect what constitutes our humanity." Diaka Sidibé echoed the sentiment, asserting that "science has become a matter of sovereignty, competitiveness, and peace. We must train individuals capable of mastering emerging technologies."
Inaugural Conference: Exploring Central Issues in Francophonie Financing
The inaugural conference extended the discussion by examining the economic models of Francophone organizations. In a global environment shaken by a series of geopolitical, economic, and budgetary crises, the ability of Francophone organizations to carry out their actions, guarantee impact, and ensure sustainability increasingly depends on their capacity to rethink these models. They must navigate daily decisions between public and private funding, lump-sum and earmarked funds, multi-year agreements and one-off financing. Additionally, they must balance rising demands with dwindling resources, decreasing subsidies, and an increasing call for impact.
As part of the sixth edition of the SMFS, the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) aimed to create a space for collective reflection on these questions, with the goal of fostering awareness and exploring the responses that Francophone organizations can provide amid these transformations.
Panel Discussion: Engaging Key Stakeholders in Financing
To ground this reflection in economic reality, the conference gathered representatives from the banking sector and development financing. Participants included Guy-Martial Awona from Orabank Togo, Khalid Ghozlani from Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Aziz Bouslikhane, a parliamentary advisor representing the CGEM and CEO of Universiapolis in Agadir. Hadjer Remili from TV5 MONDE and Jean Paterne Megne Ekoga from the Central African States Development Bank also contributed to the discussions.
Aziz Bouslikhane remarked, "Our responsibility is to create conditions that allow innovative financing to develop while preserving the values of solidarity, equity, and transparency that underpin Francophonie. In a few weeks, heads of state will convene at the Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and we must present them with a clear request: multi-year financing commitments, a timeline, and public oversight." Jean-Paterne Megne Ekoga added, "In English-speaking countries, most intellectual contributions to projects in Uganda, Kenya, etc., come from academics, which we do not see in Francophone countries. A paradigm shift is necessary!" Hadjer Remili concluded, "At TV5MONDE, we view Francophonie as an attractive sector for investors. We count on you, dear parliamentarians, to establish frameworks that better regulate web giants and support smaller digital players against these Goliaths." The discussions were moderated by Prof. Slim Khalbous, Rector of the AUF.
To revisit these two significant moments, the replay of the opening ceremony and the inaugural conference is available on the AUF's YouTube channel.
As reported by auf.org.
