French President Emmanuel Macron has personally reached out to Rwandan President Paul Kagame in an effort to secure the withdrawal of Louise Mushikiwabo's candidacy for a third term as Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). According to sources, Macron sent a letter to Kagame on the night of November 12-13, proposing a compromise candidate. This development has raised questions about the future of the OIF and the influence of its member states.
Macron's letter reportedly indicated that Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani are willing to withdraw their respective candidates, Juliana Lumumba and Coumba Ba. In exchange, Kagame would withdraw Mushikiwabo's candidacy, paving the way for former Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș to take the position. This move is seen as an attempt by Paris to exert influence over the election and promote a consensus candidate.
The current Secretary-General of the OIF, Louise Mushikiwabo, is seeking a third term in office. Her candidacy has been met with opposition from several member states, which has led to a diplomatic effort by France to find a compromise solution. Macron's intervention has placed Kinshasa and Nouakchott at the center of negotiations around the succession of the OIF's Secretary-General.
The Congolese presidency has confirmed that the country's candidate, Juliana Lumumba, may be part of a diplomatic arrangement. A withdrawal of her candidacy would have significant implications for the country's influence within the OIF. For Tshisekedi, the issue goes beyond a simple competition between personalities, as it involves a broader negotiation about the balance of power within the organization.
By directly approaching Kagame, Macron has put Rwanda in a difficult diplomatic position. The Rwandan government must now decide whether to maintain Mushikiwabo's candidacy or accept a compromise candidate. This decision will likely have far-reaching consequences for Rwanda's relationships with France and other OIF member states.
The outcome of the OIF election remains uncertain, as it depends on the responses of Kagame, Tshisekedi, and Ould Ghazouani to Macron's proposal. One thing is clear, however: the election has become a diplomatic game in which Paris is trying to influence the choices of African capitals and promote a political solution around Dacian Cioloș.
The development has sparked debate about the future of the OIF and the influence of its member states. As the election approaches, it remains to be seen whether Macron's efforts will pay off and what implications this will have for the organization's leadership and policies.
Key points
- French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Rwandan President Paul Kagame to withdraw Louise Mushikiwabo's candidacy for a third term as Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
- Macron's letter reportedly indicated that Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani are willing to withdraw their respective candidates.
- The outcome of the OIF election remains uncertain, as it depends on the responses of Kagame, Tshisekedi, and Ould Ghazouani to Macron's proposal.
