On Saturday, Cyprus officially became a full member of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, joining 54 other full members after having been an observer since 2006.
The Foreign Ministry expressed deep gratitude for the support and trust of the global francophone community, acknowledging the significance of this step for the country. Shortly after, the French Embassy in Nicosia congratulated Cyprus on achieving full membership.
La Francophonie, initially established in 1970 as the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation, was a successor to the French Community, which had been set up in 1958 during the decolonization period of France’s African colonies. The organization evolved into La Francophonie in 1997, broadening its scope.
While many of its members were once French colonies, the organization has expanded over the years to include countries from different parts of the world, such as Armenia, Greece, and North Macedonia. It now operates as a global network where member states collaborate in various fields, including culture, science, economy, justice, and peace.
Today, around one billion people reside in La Francophonie member states, and the combined GDP of these nations amounts to an impressive $18 trillion.
The current secretary-general of the organization is Louise Mushikiwabo from Rwanda, while one of its notable past leaders was former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who held the role from 1997 to 2002 after his time at the UN.
Cyprus’s ties to France date back centuries, with the island once being ruled by the French-origin House of Lusignan between 1192 and 1489. The Lusignan dynasty came to an end when King James II passed away, leaving his widow, Caterina Cornaro, as regent for their infant son James III, who later died of malaria. In 1489, Caterina was forced to sell the island to the Republic of Venice, bringing Lusignan rule to a close.
Source: Cyprus Mail