Minister Grabar-Kitarović signed Memorandum on years-long program of French language learning in Croatian state administration

Other signatories of the Memorandum include Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the International Organisation of the La Francophonie (OIF), Francois Saint-Paul, French Ambassador to Croatia, Marie-Jehanne Roccas, Belgian Ambassador to Croatia, and Guy Dockendorf, Premier Councillor of the Luxembourgian Government at the Ministry of Culture, Higher Education and Research of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The Memorandum is a part of a years-long plan of strengthening the French language in the EU, launched in 2002 by OIF in co-operation with its three partners – the Republic of France, the French Language Community in Belgium, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Pursuant to the Memorandum, some 700 Croatian diplomats and civil servants, namely those dealing with the EU affairs, will in the next three years learn or brush up their knowledge of the French language.

By signing the Memorandum, Croatia had shown the importance it places on the knowledge of the French language in foreign affairs, as well as the extremely important possibility of developing and enhancing the international relations with all of the states within OIF.

The Memorandum is the first such document Croatia has signed with OIF and its partners since becoming an OIF monitor in November 2004.

The decision to include Croatia in OIF activities is based primarily on the long historical and cultural ties Croatia has with France, a country leading the La Francophonie activities, and on the fact that Croatia shares with OIF the joint values of peace, democracy, rule of law, tolerance, solidarity, and cultural diversity.

It was precisely through its diversity that OIF, in the 50 years of its existence, has managed to profile a certain dynamic in the policy of dialogue and mutual understanding. The Republic of Croatia, therefore, fully supports the La Francophonie, that is becoming an increasingly important instrument in the international multilateral co-operation.

On the political plane, through a more active involvement in OIF activities, Croatia will try to gain support for its becoming an EU member as soon as possible, as well as for its candidacy for the UN Security Council and Commission for Peace-Building membership.