YEREVAN (Combined Sources) — The leaders of more than three dozen mostly French-speaking countries wrapped up on Friday, October 12, a two-day meeting in Yerevan which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said has raised Armenia’s international profile.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other participants of the summit adopted a joint declaration that was not immediately made public. They also appointed Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo as head of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
The summit, also attended by government delegations from more than 40 other states, was the largest international forum ever held in Yerevan. It highlighted what the current and former Armenian governments have described as Armenia’s “privileged relationship” with France.
“We can say for certain that this event has helped to boost the international standing of our country and to strengthen the International Organization of La Francophonie and its authority,” Pashinyan said in a video address to the nation. “The summit was very well-organized.”
“I want to thank all those people who were involved in organizing it,” he said, naming several senior Armenian diplomats and other government officials.
Pashinyan also acknowledged that Armenia’s former government and former Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan in particular deserve credit for the Francophonie organization’s decision in 2016to hold its next summit in Yerevan. “Special thanks to Mr. Nalbandyan for those efforts,” he said.