The leadership dispute has overshadowed the summit of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where 53 voting members will elect their next secretary-general on November 16, 2026.
According to France 24, French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Rwanda to withdraw its candidate, Louise Mushikiwabo, who has led the organisation since 2019 and is seeking a third term.
Macron reportedly favours former Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș as a compromise candidate to prevent further divisions within the bloc.
The French presidency has stressed the need for unity, saying its role is to “build this consensus” and ensure the next secretary-general enjoys the support of all member states, according to TF1 Info.
Rwanda, however, has rejected the proposal, with Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe insisting that Mushikiwabo will remain in the race.
DR Congo, which nominated Juliana Lumumba, daughter of independence leader Patrice Lumumba, has offered to withdraw her candidacy if Rwanda does the same.
“We have called on all member states to work towards a consensus and, in that spirit, we would be prepared to withdraw our candidate’s nomination in order to facilitate the emergence of a consensus,” Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said.
Why Rwanda and DR Congo are competing for the Francophonie leadership
Despite being former Belgian rather than French colonies, Rwanda and DR Congo have longstanding ties to the French language, which became widely used in government, education and administration during colonial rule.
The Francophonie extends beyond former French colonies, bringing together 90 states and governments, including 53 full members, to promote cooperation in education, trade, culture and diplomacy.
The organisation has an approved budget of €67.8 million for 2026, with France contributing the largest mandatory annual amount of €15.6 million, followed by Canada at €10.9 million. Switzerland, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and Greece are also major contributors.
DR Congo contributes €85,273 annually, compared with Rwanda’s €35,000 and Romania’s €610,946, whose former prime minister is reportedly Macron’s preferred candidate.
Although contributions do not determine voting power, DR Congo remains influential because of its large French-speaking population, one of the world’s biggest after France.
Regional conflict fuels leadership dispute
The leadership contest comes amid strained relations between Rwanda and DR Congo over the conflict in eastern Congo, where Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23 armed group, an allegation Rwanda denies.
DR Congo has reportedly threatened to leave the Francophonie if Mushikiwabo wins another term, raising the stakes for an organisation that already lost Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in 2025 amid worsening relations with France.
The tensions contrast with Kinshasa’s earlier position. In May, Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya told Reuters that the country’s leadership bid was being pursued “in a positive and constructive spirit”, arguing that the organisation should reflect Africa’s growing French-speaking population.
“For us, this election is not about rivalry between states or bilateral tensions,” Muyaya said. “The OIF is a multilateral organisation that goes beyond short-term political disputes.”
Source: africa.businessinsider.com
