Rene Anthere Rwanyange
The race for the next Secretary-General of the International Organisation of Francophonie (IOF) entered a decisive phase on Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, as four candidates appeared before the 47th Extraordinary Session of the Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie (CMF), with Rwanda’s incumbent Secretary-General, Louise Mushikiwabo, widely viewed as the standout performer.
The hearing, held in Paris, marked a historic first for the Francophonie, allowing candidates to publicly present their credentials, outline their vision for the organization, and answer questions from ministers representing member states. The process was introduced under governance reforms spearheaded during Mushikiwabo’s current tenure.
According to Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Jean Olivier Patrick Nduhungirehe, the hearing demonstrated both the maturity of the Francophonie and the strength of Mushikiwabo’s leadership.
Writing on X after the session, Ambassador Nduhungirehe described the event as “the moment of truth” in the contest for the organization’s top position. Yesterday in Paris, it was the moment of truth in the race for the position of Secretary General of the Francophonie,” he expresses.
The Minister noted that each of the four candidates was given 20 minutes to present their background and vision, followed by 35 minutes of questions from ministers attending the conference.
A total of 49 member states were represented at the CMF, including 23 foreign ministers. The Foreign Ministers of Mauritania, Romania and Rwanda attended in person, while the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo participated via videoconference.
According to the Minister Amb. Nduhungirehe, the hearings produced two clear observations. First, he praised the respectful atmosphere that characterized the presentations.
“The presentations of all the candidates were made in a very constructive spirit. The three African women and the European gentleman were able to present their programmes without any confrontation between countries or candidates,” he writes.
He adds that the cordiality continued during a reception hosted by the Cambodian President of the CMF, where the candidates exchanged views in what he described as a courteous and friendly environment. The ambassador’s second observation focused on Mushikiwabo’s performance.
“A striking contrast nevertheless jumped out at everyone; between, on the one hand, the experience, competence, and mastery of the files of Louise Mushikiwabo, and, on the other hand, those of her three competitors,” he adds.
At the same time, he acknowledged the commitment demonstrated by all candidates. “But this takes nothing away from the sincere ambition that all the candidates were able to express for our common organization,” he says.
Louise Mushikiwabo has served as Secretary-General of the OIF since 2019 and is seeking another term at the helm of the 93-member organization, which promotes the French language, political dialogue, peace, democracy, education and economic cooperation across the Francophone world.
The Paris hearing is expected to guide ministers as they formulate their recommendation ahead of the Francophonie Summit later this year.
The final decision will be made during the 20th Summit of the Francophonie, scheduled for November 15–16, 2026, in Phnom Penh, where Heads of State and Government will vote to elect or re-elect the organization’s Secretary-General.
