Secretary General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo, spoke about the organisation’s upcoming leadership election, in which she is seeking another term at the helm of La Francophonie.
Mushikiwabo made the remarks during an interview with France 24, where she also addressed the candidacy put forward by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, and the withdrawal of several Sahel countries from the organisation.
The election will take place during the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on November 16, 2026. Mushikiwabo is competing against three other candidates: Juliana Amato Lumumba of the DRC, Coumba Bâ of Mauritania and former Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș.
For the first time in the organisation’s history, several candidates went through a formal selection process ahead of the final decision by heads of state and government.
Asked whether having several candidates competing for the position was a positive development, Mushikiwabo said it reflected the level of maturity La Francophonie had reached over the years.
“It is an organisation that is showing that it has reached sufficient maturity. Heads of state are always pleased to choose, in a transparent manner, the person they want, and that has been the case since the organisation was established,” she said.
Mushikiwabo said she was not concerned about the election, pointing to the work carried out during her leadership and the progress made within the organisation.
Asked whether her record made her confident of being re-elected, she said her achievements did not automatically make her more deserving of the position than the other candidates.
“I would not say that what I have done makes me the person who should be elected over the others, because an election remains an election until it is over, and the outcome is determined by the heads of state,” she said.
She said she still had clear objectives for strengthening the OIF, including maintaining unity among its members, adding that her previous experience as Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs had given her extensive knowledge of international diplomacy.
DRC candidacy
Mushikiwabo also addressed the candidacy of Juliana Amato Lumumba, who was nominated by the DRC and is the daughter of Congolese independence figure Patrice Lumumba.
She was asked whether the DRC’s decision to field a candidate at a time of strained relations with Rwanda could turn the OIF leadership contest into another arena of rivalry between the two countries.
Mushikiwabo acknowledged the tensions between Rwanda and the DRC but said they had no place in the OIF leadership race.
“I acknowledge that there are tensions between my country and our neighbour, the DRC, and those tensions are not new. But that confrontation has no place within the OIF,” she said.
She added that whoever is elected should be chosen based on the leadership member states want for the organisation rather than disputes between individual countries.
Mushikiwabo said OIF member states had the right to decide for themselves who they considered best suited to lead the organisation, with the final decision resting with the heads of state and government.
The interviewer also questioned her about allegations against Rwanda concerning the conflict in eastern DRC and sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States.
Mushikiwabo said the OIF leadership contest should not be determined by disputes involving candidates’ countries, noting that disagreements between states were common in international relations.
“Yes, I acknowledge that there are tensions in our region and that they involve my country. When the heads of state vote, it will be for them to decide whether that is something relevant for them to consider or not when choosing their Secretary General,” she said.
France and Canada
Mushikiwabo was also asked whether influential OIF members, including France and Canada, were likely to support her candidacy or remain neutral.
She said she could not predict how individual member states would vote.
“I cannot answer that question because I cannot know the confidential positions of member states. I have supporters within the organisation, and I am ready to compete because competition is good for the organisation,” she said.
She added that she considered herself a strong candidate but stressed that the final decision belonged to the heads of state and government.
Mushikiwabo said she was particularly pleased to have the backing of Côte d’Ivoire, which she described as an important member of La Francophonie that could influence the choices of other countries, while noting that each state had its own vote.
Sahel countries that left OIF
Mushikiwabo was also questioned about Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which withdrew from the OIF in 2025 after previously facing measures taken by the organisation.
Asked whether their departure represented a failure under her leadership, Mushikiwabo said she regretted the decision but did not consider it a failure of the Secretary General.
She explained that when political crises occurred in member states, OIF members met to assess the situation, listened to the countries concerned and collectively decided how the organisation should respond.
The interviewer also raised the cases of Guinea and Gabon, which experienced military takeovers but were treated differently.
Mushikiwabo said the transitional authorities in both countries had engaged with the OIF and expressed their willingness to continue working with the organisation and respect its principles.
“They came to us and asked us to give them another opportunity, saying they wanted to respect the principles governing members. We sat down, discussed it and made a decision. That is what happened,” Mushikiwabo said.
She said Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger could seek to return to the organisation in the future if they wished.
“I hope those countries can come back home and be welcomed into the organisation,” she said.
Rwanda nominated Mushikiwabo for another term as OIF Secretary General.
The 65-year-old former foreign affairs minister was first elected OIF Secretary General at the 17th Francophonie Summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 12, 2018.
She was re-elected for a second four-year term at the summit in Djerba, Tunisia, in November 2022.
Before joining the OIF, Mushikiwabo served as Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation from 2009 to 2018 and had previously served as Minister of Information and Government Spokesperson.
She is now seeking a third term as Secretary General, with the next leader set to be chosen during the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh on November 16, 2026.
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