ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the putative distinctiveness of the francophone conference, by way of discussing their origins. It explores the scope and content of the conferences in francophone Africa, establishing their importance for changes in political culture and civil society. The chapter summarizes the immediate impact of the conferences where they took place, and then examines the arguments why the outcomes differed so dramatically from country to country. It shows that the continuing impact of the national conferences in the countries where they took place, including those where political reform has not succeeded or has only partially succeeded. The 'psychic' frustrations that helped spawn the political reform movements also had local sources, though foreign ideals encouraged them, particularly after 1990. The widespread fascination with the national conference ideal in francophone Africa is undeniable. Even in Francophone African countries that did not hold a conference, one discovers that calls for such conferences have been part of the campaigns for political reform.
