On November 3, the Chief Scientist of Quebec, Rémi Quirion, launched a brand new international cooperation mechanism: the International Francophone Network for Scientific Advice. The objective of this community of practice is to promote the use of science in French, in support of decision-making and public policies, in order, among other things, to support French-speaking States in the perspective of achieving the sustainable development (SDGs).
Indeed, in the French-speaking world, few models of durable and solid structures of this type exist. As democracies regress and become vulnerable around the world, evidence-based scientific information is imperative. The vitality of our democratic systems is at stake in order to make this information accessible in the public space, and this, in the official language(s) of the country or region.
Their relevance has also been demonstrated during disasters, such as the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear accident or the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists and the media have a role to play in giving science its rightful place in the public sphere. This is a democratic imperative: well-informed citizens are better able to participate in an informed manner in the affairs of the city.
In 2021, Rémi Quirion became the first French speaker to chair the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA). This collaborative platform, founded in 2014, has regional offices in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It reaches and connects more than 5,000 people and institutions from 130 countries.
Upon taking office, Mr. Quirion proposed adding a day of debate devoted to the Francophonie. He also announced his desire to create a French-speaking branch. In fact, throughout his mandate, the chief scientist was able to observe the constant and rapid decline of French in the fields of science and innovation, to the benefit of English, as well as the lack of existing permanent structures in consulting scientist in the French-speaking world.
A study funded by his office revealed, on the one hand, our lack of knowledge about the use of scientific data by political decision-makers in the Francophonie and, on the other hand, the challenges that decision-makers face in access the data. In addition, a study currently being conducted by Laval University and the Assembly of Francophonie Parliamentarians should provide a more precise picture of the situation within parliaments. The same exercise with municipal elected officials would certainly be very enlightening.
Since the Francophonie is diverse, the chief scientist has brought together representatives from more than 20 countries, as well as the heads of all the institutions of the institutional Francophonie, within an orientation committee. The latter, chaired by the Burkinabé Lassina Zerbo, director of the atomic program of Rwanda, ensured that this initiative concretely meets the needs of its future users. Members of this committee spoke on several occasions in Young Africa on the importance of multilingual science accessible to all.
Thus, the brand new International Francophone Network in scientific advice will be directed by Mathieu Ouimet, professor of political science at Laval University. It already brings together the universities of Laval, Montreal, Niamey (Niger), HEC Montreal, Polytechnique as well as the General Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (bringing together 73 member and associate parliaments). Resolutely established in Quebec, the network will have branches in Europe in the near future, but especially in Africa, the priority area for the new network. To carry out its mission, the network will benefit from a budget of $1.5 million over five years granted by the Fonds de recherche du Québec.
Such a French-speaking network has become essential, and the pandemic has demonstrated more than ever the urgent need for such scientific support. This network will be in perfect synergy with the action carried out by the Senghor University of Alexandria or the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), whose headquarters are at the University of Montreal and which today brings together more than 1,000 universities from a hundred countries.
The AUF has just brought together in Cairo some forty ministers responsible for higher education and research around a manifesto for French-speaking scientific diplomacy, and held its 2are International meetings of the scientific Francophonie, which give strength to this priority.
As heads of state and government meet in Djerba, Tunisia, our Prime Minister will be proud to share these new Quebec initiatives that give the Francophonie a concrete and united dimension. The strength of La Francophonie has always been revealed by these genuine networks that produce results for the benefit of peoples.
This project, whose urgent need the pandemic has demonstrated, once again confirms Quebec’s militant concern to maintain French as a living language of open science for societies that are more resilient, through their intelligence, in the face of global crises. .