Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a brief visit to Africa on Saturday as part of what his foreign affairs minister described as a fight for power on the continent between democratic and authoritarian states.
"The reality is there is a battle of influence that is happening around the world, and one of the battlefields is definitely Africa," Melanie Joly told reporters in Tunisia.
Like the Commonwealth, the Francophonie meets to touch base on everything from human rights to cultural exchanges to the international role of French.It comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sends food prices soaring across Africa, which makes up an increasing percentage of the French-speaking world.
But the country hosting this weekend's summit has been backsliding, with Tunisian President Kais Saied suspending Parliament in 2021, concentrating power and attacking key institutions. Trudeau held bilateral talks on Saturday with leaders from Armenia and Switzerland, and is scheduled Sunday to have just one formal conversation with the leader of an African state, Niger.
Joly said Trudeau will also hold a Sunday roundtable on the ongoing turmoil in Haiti with representatives of that country and other Francophonie members.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trudeau attends summit of French-speaking nations in Tunisia amid geopolitical tumultPrime Minister Justin Trudeau has arrived in Africa for a gathering of French-speaking countries grappling with chaos in Haiti, soaring food prices and anxiety over the language's role in the digital age.
Read more »
Trudeau attends summit of French-speaking nations in Tunisia amid geopolitical tumult | National NewswatchNational Newswatch: Canada's most comprehensive site for political news and views. Make it a daily habit.
Read more »
Trudeau attends summit of French-speaking nations in Tunisia amid geopolitical tumultSummit comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sends food prices soaring across Africa, which makes up an increasing percentage of the French-speaking world
Read more »
Trudeau meets with French-speaking nations in Tunisia amid geopolitical turmoil - National | Globalnews.caMembers of the International Organization of the Francophonie are gathering this weekend in Tunisia to take stock of a turbulent era in geopolitics and seek closer ties.
Read more »
Trudeau attends summit of French-speaking nations in Tunisia amid geopolitical tumultDJERBA, Tunisia — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has arrived in Africa for a gathering of French\u002Dspeaking countries grappling with chaos in Haiti, soaring food…
Read more »
LILLEY: Trudeau needs to tell Canadians the truth about China's meddling in CanadaCanadians deserve answers on claims of China meddling in elections and setting up police stations in Canada. It\u0027s for the truth.
Read more »