ORU-FOGAR in the Assembly of the Association of French-speaking Regions

As part of the International Assembly of French-speaking Regions (AIRF), held from 8th to 10th June in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), ORU-FOGAR organized a Forum of African Regions together with UCLG. ORU-FOGAR Secretary General Carles Llorens participated actively in this event.

The forum was conducted by the Vice President of the Rhône -Alpes Region Bernard Soulage. The willingness of ORU - FOGAR and UCLG to boost an Organization of African Regions, with the participation of French-speaking regions and other African areas, was showed. ORU - FOGAR Secretary General presented this initiative "in the context to work to make the United Regions become a real global network, where Africans cannot be lacking". The speech given by Adama Gueye, President of Louga, displayed the context in which African regionalization moves, from the plight of current regions in his country, Senegal.

Presidents of the Regions of Ivory Coast, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Mali, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Niger took part in the Assembly of French-speaking Regions. The event concluded with the designation of the President of Rhone –Alpes, Jean- Jack Queyranne, as president of the AIRF, replacing Ségolène Royal, present-day President of the Poitou -Charentes Region.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Carles Llorens to invite everyone to participate in the ORU - FOGAR World Summit to be held next September in Cartagena de Indias. The invitation was supported by the intervention of Luís Gilberto Murillo, former Governor of Chocó, who travelled to Abidjan on behalf of the National Federation of Departments of Colombia.