A realistic project on a human scale …
1. Keep supporting the associations!
Associations are the beating heart of the French community in Southern Africa.
They are the ones who bring everyday life in France to life: the OLES, the chambers of commerce, sports clubs, parent-teacher associations… All those organizations that, in partnership with the Consulate, foster connections, solidarity, and a sense of purpose.
Being there for them, meeting their needs, and providing them with practical support: this is our top priority.
Without them, the French community simply wouldn't exist.
3. Start a FLAM association in Durban
FLAM associations are a program established by the French government to help maintain a connection to the French language and culture in areas where there are no French schools. Their primary purpose is to ensure the continuity of French language learning for French-speaking or dual-nationality children living abroad.
These are flexible, accessible structures tailored to local conditions, designed to address the lack of an accredited French school. In Durban, where there are no French schools, establishing a FLAM association would help meet a genuine need among families.
The project is led by Martine, a member of the team, who provides the impetus and coordinates it.
6. Support for French businesses abroad
We also demonstrate this commitment through the roles and responsibilities of our team members. Emmanuel and Alexandre serve as French Foreign Trade Advisors and are active within the Chambers of Commerce. Arnaud is the president of French Tech. Hélène is the president of Working the City. Through their respective experiences, our work is informed by a deep, practical understanding of the local landscape, networks, and economic challenges.
Finally, it means working closely with the stakeholders who drive this economic momentum on a daily basis, particularly the Chamber of Commerce, Business France, the Foreign Trade Advisors, French Tech, and all the professional networks involved. Our goal is clear: to help showcase French initiatives, facilitate their development, and strengthen their impact in our host countries.
7. Promotion of the French language and culture
This is a crucial issue, both for fostering the Francophonie, strengthening ties with our host countries, and instilling in younger generations a lasting attachment to our language and culture. This influence relies first and foremost on the invaluable work carried out by the Institut français, which offers a rich cultural program, builds bridges between artists, ideas, and audiences, and actively contributes to sustaining France’s presence in the region.
It also relies on the commitment of the Alliances Françaises, which play a vital role in teaching French, promoting our culture, and fostering the local Francophone community.
Alongside these institutions, there are also numerous community and cultural initiatives that enrich this work on a daily basis: amateur theater groups and community bookstores, each of which, in its own way, helps keep the French-speaking world alive on the ground.
8. Strengthen our ties with our host countries
The French community abroad is not a passive one. It is active, enterprising, and fully engaged in the life of our host countries.
In Johannesburg, volunteers are carrying out concrete projects centered around La Rose and the Gabriel Daycare Center. In Cape Town, the Bike Academy also exemplifies this commitment to making a meaningful difference on the ground. These initiatives, like many others, build strong human connections between France and Southern Africa.
French companies are also playing a part in this trend. Through their presence, they contribute to local development, cooperation, and the promotion of France’s influence.
2. Establish an OLES in Mozambique
Although the siege of Maputo was won, unfortunately it was never truly occupied or organized.
The challenge now, therefore, is to establish an OLES in Maputo, working in close and formal collaboration with the French Embassy and Consulate.
The primary mission of an OLES is to assist France’s most disadvantaged citizens: supporting families in need, providing assistance in situations of extreme vulnerability, and taking concrete action when social emergencies require it.
This is a solidarity-based initiative that works closely with the Consulate, in a spirit of coordination, trust, and efficiency, to provide a humane and structured response to the most pressing needs.
4. Supporting the most vulnerable members of the French population
We will stand by the most vulnerable residents of our district, paying particular attention to those facing precarious circumstances, isolation, illness, disability, or significant social hardship.
On the ground, this work is already being done and deserves full recognition. In Johannesburg, La Bienfaisance is doing remarkable work to help our most vulnerable fellow citizens. In Cape Town, Entraide du Cap, which Alexandre has chaired for the past ten years, is also carrying out essential work—often behind the scenes, but deeply humane and practical.
This work is carried out in close collaboration with consular services, in a spirit of trust, coordination, and efficiency.
5. Promote French education
Access to a high-quality French education is a top priority for our families abroad. We will strengthen dialogue and coordination among all stakeholders in the French education system (AEFE, management committees, teaching staff, and diplomatic authorities) to ensure that educational opportunities are accessible, sustainable, and tailored to local conditions.
In our region, we will work closely with French schools in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Maputo, and Cape Town to better support their initiatives, foster their growth, and effectively meet the needs of families.
We will also promote a vision for development by supporting initiatives to establish new facilities where needs arise—particularly in Gaborone and George—in order to anticipate the growth of our communities and ensure the continuity of French education throughout the region.
