Yaoundé Hosts 51st APF Assembly: Over 400 Global Delegates To Tackle Peace, Youth, Climate Change

Yaounde, the political capital of Cameroon, a cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic hub renowned for its legendary hospitality, officially became the epicenter of parliamentary diplomacy on Friday July 10, 2026 within the French-speaking world. As the 51st General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, APF opened in the Paul Biya Glass House (National Assembly) in the city’s neighbourhood of Ngoa-Ekelle.
 
Over 400 Delegates
Bringing together more than 300 senior parliamentarians and 100 youth delegates from across the globe, the high-profile assembly is focused on addressing the interlocking crises of security, climate change, and economic development facing the Francophonie. The assembly runs from July 7-12, 2026.

Solemn Opening, High-Level Recognition
The opening ceremony was marked by intense diplomatic symbolism. The current Chair of the APF, Cameroon’s Hon. Hilarion Etong, presented the prestigious insignia of the Pléiade to prominent leaders of the Cameroonian Parliament. Notably, His Majesty Aboubakary Abdoulaye, Senate President and the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Right Hon. Théodore Datouo. Who were elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Pléiade.
 
Three Core Themes
In a powerful speech delivering governmental greetings, the Cameroon Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, praised the traditional and fruitful relationship between Cameroon and the International Organisation of the Francophonie, IOF under the leadership of President Paul Biya. He highlighted that the three core themes of this session - multilateralism and state sovereignty, climate change, and development solidarity - are profoundly aligned with contemporary global needs.
 
Emphasizing Unity
Delivering the keynote opening speech, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon, the Right Hon. Théodore Datouo, expressed deep gratitude for the massive international attendance, calling it a definitive mark of confidence in Cameroon’s institutional stability.
Speaker Datouo drew inspiration from the historical legacy of the organization, paying homage to its founding visionary, late Senegalese President, Léopold Sédar Senghor. As well as pioneering Cameroonian parliamentary figures including Marcel Marigoh Mboua, Théodore Mayi Matip, Gabriel Balla Bounoung, and Nicolas Amougou Noma - the first Cameroonian to serve as APF President.
 
None Alone!
Turning to the fractures in current international relations, Speaker Datouo invoked a poignant African proverb to champion the cause of multilateralism: "A single hand cannot tie a bundle. This adage teaches us that no group of persons, no nation, even the most powerful, can single-handedly overcome the challenges of our time," he pointed out.
 
Locus Of Global Dialogue
Hon. Datouo reiterated President Paul Biya's recent declaration to the Diplomatic Corps, emphasizing that Cameroon remains dedicated to being a locus of global dialogue. As evidenced by its selection to host major multilateral events like the recent 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation, WTO.
 
Dialogue Over Armed Confrontation
The work of the 51st APF session is tightly structured around key thematic axes designed to transition political commitments into tangible resolutions: In a world fractured ...