(TAP) - Secretary-General of the International Organisation of la Francophonie Louise Mushikiwabo said it was agreed during a meeting with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed Monday at Dar Dhiafa Carthage to hold the Francophonie Summit next year in the second week of November.

The organisation will open within a few weeks the headquarters of its Regional Office for North Africa in Tunisia after the signing of a relevant agreement earlier today, she added, noting that the Summit’s theme is being discussed.

The visit to Tunisia is of great importance as it comes to announce the start of serious preparations for the Francophone Summit in Tunis next year, she further indicated, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

She added that that the choice of Tunisia as the country of the late leader Habib Bourguiba, a founding father of the organisation, to host the next summit is a recognition of its historic and pivotal role in the International Organisation of la Francophonie and to encourage its significant efforts to uphold the principles of democracy and human rights.

The Secretary-General noted that her visit to Tunisia has been successful and expressed her confidence in Tunisia's success in organising the Summit, especially since it has achieved many successes, particularly in the areas of ​​democracy and gender equality