Rwanda has expressed strong confidence that Louise Mushikiwabo will be re-elected Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), citing the reforms she has implemented during her two terms in office.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe made the remarks during an interview with Igicaniro TV covering various aspects of Rwanda’s foreign policy and international cooperation.
The election of the next OIF Secretary-General is only a few months away. Mushikiwabo, who is nearing the end of her second term, has been nominated by Rwanda to seek a third mandate and is competing against three other candidates, including a Congolese contender.
“Louise Mushikiwabo has every chance of being re-elected Secretary-General of La Francophonie because she has extensively reformed the organisation’s governance, both politically and financially,” Nduhungirehe said.
“The organisation had serious difficulties before she took office, but she addressed them and restored its strength.”
Nduhungirehe also credited Mushikiwabo with giving practical direction to several OIF programmes, particularly those focusing on digital technology, youth development and women’s empowerment. These initiatives include the creation of the La Francophonie avec Elles fund.
He said Mushikiwabo’s achievements were also evident during the formal hearing held in Paris on June 30, when the four candidates appeared before the Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie.
“She has made visible progress within the organisation. On June 30 in Paris, the four candidates appeared before the Francophonie’s council of ministers. They presented what they intend to accomplish if elected, or, in Louise Mushikiwabo’s case, what she has already achieved, and then answered questions,” Nduhungirehe said.
According to the minister, Mushikiwabo’s performance and record placed her ahead of the other candidates during the assessment.
“What emerged from the ministers and independent experts was that Mushikiwabo performed better than all the other candidates because her record spoke for itself,” he said.
“The programmes she presented were also practical and consistent with the direction that La Francophonie needs to take.”
Nduhungirehe added that Rwanda’s campaign to secure support for Mushikiwabo among OIF member states was progressing well, further strengthening the country’s confidence that she would be re-elected.
Mushikiwabo was first elected OIF Secretary-General in October 2018 during the Francophonie Summit held in Yerevan, Armenia. She succeeded Michaëlle Jean. She was subsequently re-elected for a second four-year term during the November 2022 summit in Djerba, Tunisia.
Mushikiwabo will seek her third term during the next OIF Summit, scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November 2026.
RADIOTV10