Mrs Chantal Biya, was conspicuously present in activities marking the 15th La Francophone summit in Dakar.

A spectacle of socialisation reigned amongst several First Ladies who were present at the just-ended International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) 15th Summit.

The hospitality that Mrs Chantal Biya and her cohorts exhibited in Dakar was not only seen when they met in the early hours of November 29, 2014 at the Dakar International Conference Centre - CICD, to participate in the opening session of the summit but also their involvment in a seminar which focused on the theme, “La Francophonie’s Women and Young People: Vectors for Peace and Actors For Development.” The First Lady of Senegal, Mrs Marieme Faye Sall afterwards invited first ladies to a special lunch.

At the Dakar Conference Centre, Mrs Chantal Biya and eight other First Ladies listened to issues concerning the various countries. As per the role of First Spouses, they joined in a summit which revisited the major role played by women and young people, especially in the current climate of economic difficulties and political tension.

Being present at the opening session of the summit was certainly of great benefit to the First Ladies, especially Mrs Biya who on a daily basis had been working out strategies to improve the living standards of women and vulnerable children in Cameroon and beyond through her NGOs: the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC), Pan-African NGO, African Synergy Against AIDs and Suffering and the Chantal Biya Foundation.

The warmness amongst First Ladies at the summit was greatly noticed when they all boarded the same bus for the luxury Terrou-Bi Restaurant to dine during a special lunch offered by the host First Lady, Mrs Marieme Sall. The Ladies were cordially received at Terrou-Bi Hotel (which means ‘welcome’ in one of the local languages, Wolof).

Dance groups and women lined-up along the hotel entrance to welcome the elegant First Ladies. During the lunch in honour of First Ladies attending the 15th summit, some 100 guests, amongst whom were former and present female ministers of Senegal, Mali as well as female Directors General, and the wife of the out-going Secretary General of IOF, Elizabeth Diouf, joined the First Spouses to savour Senegalese meals.