OIF Secretary General in Armenia to express solidarity amid ‘humanitarian tragedy’

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Secretary General ofthe International Organisation ofLa Francophonie (OIF)Louise Mushikiwabo is leading a delegation to Armenia to better understand how to be useful to the country in conditions of the forced displacement of over 100,000 persons from Nagorno-Karabakh.

More than 100,000 people fled to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh over the course of one week after the Azeri attack in September.

Mushikiwabo told Armenpress that the OIF delegation has arrived in Armenia to express solidarity with the Armenian people amid the forced displacement of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

She said that Armenia is a "very important member" of the OIF. “That’s why we are here, to express our solidarity,” she said.

The OIF is particularly interested in the issues pertaining to its mission, such as French language education and youth affairs. Regarding politics, the OIF Secretary General said that they are following the dialogues and conclusions coming from the UN. “Unfortunately, the OIF does not have a mandate or resources to make decisions or express its stance regarding the conflict. Of course, we are very well familiar with the history, but we are limited to our mandate. Even without being an expert, without having a mandate on political issues, it is clear that this is a humanitarian tragedy, which concerns us. The fact that people are forced to leave their native home concerns us, we understand it. And I’d really want some decision to take place today what would mitigate the fate of the people, the youth, who are here today,” Mushikiwabo said after a meeting with French language teachers and forcibly displaced students from Nagorno-Karabakh in the SPFA charitable organization’s Yerevan office.

“As the International Organization of La Francophonie, we are trying to look into the ways that we could be useful, but certainly not in the political issues,’ she said.