France’s hidden game in the OIF secretary general election

The International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) is set to elect its next secretary general on November 15-16, 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The winner will lead the organisation for a four-year term.

Recent reports indicate that France under President Macron is quietly preparing former Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Julien Ciolos to succeed Rwandan incumbent Louise Mushikiwabo as OIF chief.

France, while maintaining a diplomatic smile toward the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s candidate, Juliana Amato Lumumba—a former culture minister—is actively pushing Ciolos’s candidacy within its traditional African francophone sphere and beyond.

Some observers suggest that France, embarrassed by the clash between Rwandan and Congolese candidates, has opted for a third figure to break the deadlock.

How can France equate the DRC’s bid with Rwanda’s, which has already served two terms and shows little commitment to the French language?

Objectively, the DRC should not be compared to Rwanda, a nation that has questioned the primacy of French and already held the OIF leadership for two consecutive terms.

Moreover, the DRC, with its 100 million French speakers, numerous francophone universities and media outlets, stands as the beating heart of La Francophonie.

If France fails to acknowledge these assets and instead belittles the DRC, working to prevent it from leading this cultural, political and civilisational space, then the DRC must draw the necessary conclusions and retaliate.

If Juliana Lumumba is not elected as secretary general due to France’s duplicity, the DRC must adopt strong measures against France.

As the world’s largest Francophone country, the DRC deserves benevolent treatment from France.

With 90 member states, the OIF leadership is far from ceremonial. The person at the helm subtly but significantly influences diplomatic balances among Francophone nations in Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

This is why an experienced, unifying, and motivated figure is needed. Juliana Amato Lumumba meets all these criteria.