Cameroon prepares to host 400 delegates for 51st APF session in Yaoundé

Organising committee chair, deputy Hilarion Etong, briefed the press on preparations and outlined the main features of the upcoming event.

Cameroon is set to welcome the 51st session of the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) in two weeks. Ahead of this major intercontinental gathering, the organising committee, comprising members from both chambers of the Cameroonian parliament, unveiled the event’s key highlights. During a press conference on Thursday, it was announced that the country expects over 300 delegates, including about ten heads of parliamentary chambers and 80 young participants.

Delegates will come from all four APF regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Among the prominent figures expected are Amelia Lakrafi, APF delegate general, and Louise Mouchoukiwabo, secretary general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie. Registration currently stands at 275 individuals.

The organising committee, established in January 2026, is fully operational and continuing its work. It is chaired by deputy Hilarion Etong, who also serves as president of the Cameroonian APF section, president of the APF itself, and first vice-president of the National Assembly. Composed of senators and members of the National Assembly, the committee includes 17 subcommittees covering all aspects of the meeting’s organisation. For accommodation and hospitality, eight hotels of various standards have been booked.

The sessions will focus on two major themes: “Multilateralism and State Sovereignty” and “Francophone Parliaments Facing Climate Change in a Changing and Development-Seeking World.” Under the first theme, participants will discuss the rise of protectionism and the ability of Francophone states to act collectively against terrorism, migration flows, and democratic instability. The second theme provides parliamentarians with an opportunity to make their voices heard and translate international climate agreements into national legislation.

The session programme includes an APF bureau meeting on 7 July 2026, followed by meetings of the youth and women parliamentarians’ networks on 8 July. On the same day, APF bureau members will take an excursion to Nachtigal. On 9 July, the four permanent APF commissions will meet before the formal opening of the session on 10 July. Work will continue and conclude on Saturday, 11 July 2026.