Macron urges unity as Francophonie summit opens in Cambodia
Leaders of French-speaking nations gathered in Phnom Penh as a row over who should lead the Francophonie and Congo’s threat to quit put pressure on Macron to broker consensus.
French President Emmanuel Macron opened the Francophonie summit in Phnom Penh on Sunday, aiming to prevent the biggest African member, Rwanda, from walking out due to the re-election of its secretary-general. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) includes around 90 states and governments, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Canada.
DR Congo, which has 57.3 million French speakers, threatened to leave if Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda's current secretary-general, was re-elected, accusing Rwanda of backing the M23 armed group in eastern Congo. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso withdrew last year following coups. On Saturday, DR Congo announced its withdrawal of candidate Juliana Lumumba, Rwanda's ally.
Macron cautioned against internal divisions in the group, emphasizing the importance of unity. He urged delegates to respect Cambodia's independence, urging them to free detained activists.
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