53 Francophonie members to elect secretary-general on 16 November
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on AIP and Financial Afrik
On 16 November, 53 full members of the International Organisation of La Francophonie will choose their secretary-general for 2027-2030 at the summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, held on 15 and 16 November. Four candidates are in the running, including Rwandan Louise Mushikiwabo, the outgoing secretary-general, according to AIP.
The unified rules governing the OIF’s bodies, adopted in March 2022, will apply in full for the first time to this election. A consensus is sought first; failing that, the decision will go to a simple majority of the participants voting. Her three rivals are Mauritanian Coumba Ba, Romanian Dacian Cioloș and Congolese Juliana Lumumba.
Held for the first time in Cambodia, nearly 30 years after the summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, the summit’s theme is reinvesting in peace for shared prosperity and lasting stability. It is due to produce the Phnom Penh Declaration and a resolution on crises, crisis exit and peacebuilding. On 14 November, the 48th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference took place as a preparatory meeting.
Alongside the summit, the Village de la Francophonie is being held in the Wat Botum garden from 13 to 17 November, bringing together around 50 pavilions, as well as conferences, shows and cooking activities. On the innovation front, the FrancoTech fair brings together more than 200 exhibitors, and about 5,000 visitors are expected between 14 and 16 November.
In total, the OIF brings together 90 states and governments: 53 full members, five associate members and 32 observers. The meeting will also consider applications for membership and requests for a change of status.
