The Francophone Regional Center for Africa (CREFA) has officially opened its new premises in Djibouti, marking a significant milestone in the country's cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF). The inauguration ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, including Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, and Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, Moustapha Mohamed Mahamoud. The center aims to promote education, training, and the French language in the region.
The CREFA center is designed to be a regional hub for teaching and learning French, as well as developing cooperation and exchanges among French-speaking countries in Africa. The center will contribute to strengthening capacities in French language education, promoting expertise sharing, training, and exchanges among stakeholders. Djibouti's Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, Moustapha Mohamed Mahamoud, emphasized the importance of the center, stating that it will become a regional space for competencies, innovation, and Francophone cooperation.
The Minister of National Education and Vocational Training also highlighted the significance of the French language in Djibouti's linguistic landscape, noting that it coexists with Somali, Afar, Arabic, and English. He stressed that mastering French will provide Djibouti's youth with an additional skill, opening doors to knowledge, mobility, scientific exchanges, and future careers. The minister cited various areas where cooperation between Djibouti and the OIF has yielded concrete results, including teacher training, digitalization, and youth employability.
Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, described the CREFA center as a symbol of the country's ambition to make Francophonie a living space for dialogue, transmission, cooperation, and sharing. He emphasized that the center's presence in Djibouti is a natural extension of the country's close relations with the OIF. The minister also highlighted Djibouti's role as a regional hub, promoting exchanges and rapprochement among peoples.
The Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, focused her intervention on the importance of youth and education in the Francophone space. She paid tribute to teachers, considering them essential actors in transmitting knowledge and building the future of young generations. Mushikiwabo noted that the Francophone space is particularly young, driven by Africa's demographic dynamics, which represents nearly half of the OIF's full members.
The CREFA center has already hosted various educational, cultural, and linguistic activities since its establishment in Djibouti in 2022. These initiatives contribute to giving concrete content to Djibouti's commitment to Francophonie. The center's inauguration marks a new stage in the presence and development of Francophonie activities in Djibouti. A delegation from Rwanda recently visited Djibouti to draw inspiration from the country's experience in education, illustrating cooperation based on reciprocity.
The new CREFA center is expected to play a significant role in promoting Francophone cooperation and education in the region. The center's activities will focus on teacher training, digitalization, and youth employability, among other areas. With its new premises, the CREFA center is poised to become a hub for Francophone cooperation and exchange in Africa.
Key points
- The CREFA center aims to strengthen capacities in French language education and promote cooperation among Francophone countries in Africa.
- The center's inauguration marks a new stage in Djibouti's cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
- The CREFA center will contribute to promoting education, training, and the French language in the region, with a focus on youth employability and digitalization.
