The International Organization of Francophonie (OIF) wants to launch, before the end of the year, a radio station in Mali, Radio du Sahel. It will be a platform for exchanges between young people in the region.
In an interview on France 24, the Secretary General of the OIF, Louise Mushikiwabo, revealed the upcoming launch in Mali of Radio du Sahel to offer young people a platform for exchange.
“Mali is part of the Sahel which has suffered for several years from security problems, climate change, inter-community conflicts, etc…. We want to create a platform for young people in the region who share the same challenges, perhaps the same ambitions to give them a place for exchange,” explained Louise Mushikiwabo.
This Radio will belong to La Francophonie, but the cultural richness of other languages will be taken into account. “French will be one of the languages used, along with Arabic, along with two or three other local languages spoken in more than one country,” Mushikiwabo said.
Mali is going through a constitutional crisis with the latest military coup. It is in a region that has been of concern to the OIF for some time. Louise Mushikiwabo has appointed Sheikh Tidiane Gadio as special envoy to Mali. He is a former foreign minister of Senegal. “Tidiane knows the region, he will have to monitor the situation on the ground, give advice and eventually we would be involved in the electoral exercise,” Mushikiwabo said.
This decision aims to support the process of restoring democratic institutions in Mali. It will also contribute to finding lasting and credible solutions to end the crisis.
“What we are doing is to stay close to the countries to help them, give them advice, politics remains internal to the states,” explained the Patroness of La Francophonie.
Gérard Rugambwa
