Welcome to this edition of Facing Africa (Face l’Afrique), a special interview programme with great African leaders, broadcast by a panel of media experts on the continent. For this exceptional edition, three African journalists have been brought together to question the future of the Francophonie, its ambitions and its challenges.
I am Régine Gwladys Lebouda, a grand reporter and representative of the Afrika24 group, the world’s first information channel dedicated to the continent. I am Eric Le Golf Kouatchou, a grand reporter for AFRICMEDIA. I am Rodrigue Tongue, Director of Information at CANAL 2 International, a pioneer private television channel in Cameroon.
Rodrigue Tongue: Welcome, Madam Secretary General.
Louise Mushikiwabo: Thank you very much.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: Hello, Louise Mushikiwabo
Louise Mushikiwabo: Hello!
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: You are at the head of the International Organisation of the Francophonie, which currently brings together 90 states and governments from five continents. Elected for the first time in 2018, then re-elected in 2022, you are in the pursuit of a third mandate in an unprecedented context, given that for the first time, a vote will determine the face and identity of the next leader of the IOF.
Eric Le Golf Kouatchou: And this time, the scrutiny opens a competition of four. The choice will be up to the 53 Heads of States and government, full-time members, who will be meeting in Cambodia on November 16, at the 20th Summit of the Francophonie.
Rodrigue Tongue: During this interview, Madam the Secretary General, we will return to your actions at the head of IOF. For 8 years the transformations carried out, results obtained, equally expectations and questions which cross the francophone territories. Madam the Secretary General, thank you for honouring this invitation and thank you very much for addressing our questions and those of million viewers in this edition of FACE A L’AFRIQUE ( FACING AFRICA). We hope to have an insight on the Francophonie and your mandate. You are once more welcome.
Louise Mushikiwabo: Thank you very much.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: To start with this interview, we will surely address questions on the balance sheet. Eight years is the time for a particular imprint of your identity and therefore the IOF has shifted to a programming structured around three priorities: language, democracy, governance and sustainable development. Halfway to the programming for the year 2024-2027, the organization indicates that 1.7 million Francophones benefited directly or indirectly from these actions. So, Mrs. Louise Mushikiwabo, in your opinion, what has changed most profoundly at the IOF since you arrived, and what results will allow us to measure this transformation today?
Louise Mushikiwabo: I have been saying this since I became head of the IOF, since my campaign in 2018 for the position of Secretary General of the Francophonie. This organization has and retains enormous potential in what it can do, in what it can bring to the Francophone population. Indeed, especially my first term was a term dedicated to reforms, to changes that were necessary. After 50 years, the Heads of States and Government of the Francophonie wanted to rethink and modernise the organisation. If I had to choose from all the reforms engaged since 2019, I would say that the most significant is the consolidation of the activities of the IOF. In 2019, when I became the head of this organisation, I conducted a health assessment of the organisation with a professional firm, KPMG, to understand where we should prioritise these reforms. You know, it’s quite complicated for an organisation, well, all multilateral organisations, because we are dependent on the will of the States. And when you have about fifty States that are members with full voting rights, including about thirty associated countries and observers, there are a lot of good ideas. And choosing the best ideas, that is, ideas that will really impact the target audience of our organisation, namely the population, especially the women and the youth.Young people and women are at the core of our activities, it is not obvious. So, we structured activities that were grouped into forty projects to reach fifteen. Even so, we could have tightened it up a little more. And I say it’s significant because it allowed our organisation to have a clear view of direct immediate results on the population, especially the youths. It’s not an easy thing, because every time we make changes, there are a few losers. And when we lose, we are unhappy. And so, that was still a great experience for me, which was part of my arrival at the Reform Team of the African Union. I knew what to expect, but reforming does not mean shifting things either. So, this balance between improving, tidying up certain aspects of the organisation, tightening up also means changing the organizational chart, because you have to work on human resources too. It’s an exercise that was quite necessary, though not simple.
Eric Le Golf Kouatchou: So, this transformation engaged in 2019 concerned governance, management methods, programming, and research of more measurable results. The International Organisation of the Francophonie affirms today that it wants to go from the logic of activity to a more impact-based approach. Earlier, Madam Secretary General, you spoke about reforms and the difficulties linked to them. What was the most difficult reform to lead, yet was also considered most decisive to make the transformation of the IOF sustainable?
Louise Mushikiwabo: The most difficult part of these reforms committed here at the IOF, I would say, is the change in mentality. I always tease my collaborators by telling them not to act like international bureaucrats. There are certain practices, a certain comfort that settles when you are in an activity for 5-10 years, which makes it so that you don’t take a step back to measure what you are doing, to possibly adjust, change, or even abandon certain activities. In my opinion, it’s the most difficult part, even for other organisations that I know, is the fact of thinking about results instead of thinking about budget and activity. You don’t realise to what extent when you are in an organisation like this, you forget about the field. Here at the IOF, for example, we have very beautiful activities, be it the training of young people in the digital trade, be it the fund La Francophonie Avec Elle which supports women in precarious situations. It was designed here in Paris, at Avenue Bosquet, but the continuity on the field and what we can measure and harvest from this work is not always obvious. So, for me, the most complex part, which takes time, is to be seated in your office here in Paris without forgetting to tell yourself, what I am doing should not only be seen in a report or in a note to the Secretary General, but it is an activity that should in a modest way change the lives of the beneficiaries. This is most important for me.
Rodrigue Tongue: So, Madam Secretary General, we have revisited these reports. We have drawn a small picture of what has been done in terms of projects. Between 2020 and 2025, the Francophonie mainly supported 354 projects in 36 countries for 99,290 women beneficiaries with €20 million in subsidies as claimed. If you had to choose the most emblematic reform of your two mandates, which one would you choose? As a follow-up to this question, are there moments where you feel that you are still far from the mark? Are there areas where the IOF has to go even further?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Well, it is not fair to ask me to choose a single initiative that had a real impact. There are a few that are perhaps symbolic of this renovated IOF. According to me, the fund La Francophonie Avec Elle is one of the achievements that makes me proud. First, because the creation of this fund was launched amid the urgency of the pandemic. We said to ourselves, we have to do something beyond activities, for example, the provision of educational content. We did all that by bringing together a lot of youths from French-speaking zones who created, innovated, invented applications that come in support of the health system, which are in the delivery of food, which help to manufacture masks at the beginning of the pandemic. But we said to ourselves, especially with the lockdown, there are Francophones. It is not specific to the French-speaking area, but it is the one that concerns us the most. We noticed that women, throughout the French-speaking zone, especially in Africa, where we have the majority of our cooperation activities, the lockdown came with a great difficulty, for example, not being able to feed. Because there are a lot of households, a lot of families, when we don’t go out to sell food at the market, we can’t get by. And so, I suggested to my collaborators that we evaluate what we spend on trips, conferences, and workshops. And we said to ourselves, we’re going to start a fund and we’re going to try selecting through candidacy within the French-speaking world, particularly for Lebanon and Haiti, which were our countries in great difficulty. And we are going to provide economic support to households and women who are mainly grouped in associations. And we have set up a fund of about 3 million Euros. The needs are immense, so 3 million Euros is not much, but we can do a lot with 3 million Euros. I make mention of the fund mainly because its launching was quite new, since the IOF is moving forward.
Rodrigue Tongue: In terms of operating economies,
Louise Mushikiwabo: In terms of operating economies but also in terms of decision-making speed. I called the ministers and we worked online at the time. I called a meeting of the ministers and I asked for their permission to create this fund and to actively provide financial assistance to women in the selection process. So we set up the selection structures, a governance council that I chair. The lockdown began in March 2020. In June, we were already in full discussion. And before the end of the year, around November-December 2020, we were already in the process of allocating funds for the different projects. It was a first for me, and I am all the more proud that I was able to go to different countries and see how this fund works, go and meet these women. I am really very, very proud of it. So we were able to, thanks to the good results of the fund, I went back to the structures that the Secretary-General’s decisions were dependent on, at the level of the permanent council and the ministers, and I asked for this fund to be sustained, that it is not an emergency action during the COVID period, but that it can be done today. The fund La Francophonie Avec Elle is part of the regular annual programming of the IOF. It is not solely the fund, but you know…
Rodrigue Tongue: But it is the most emblematic.
Louise Mushikiwabo: It is the most emblematic, because when we stay in standard operating procedures, we sometimes deprive ourselves of good results. And I can tell you that when we go to meet the beneficiaries of this fund, today we bet a lot on Africa, there was a lot of interest. But today we are in Asia, in the Middle East including our member countries. It was a rewarding initiative that confirmed what I already knew because sometimes, you have to think outside the box and also take risks. This was a risk that we took at the time, and in the end it was very, very beneficial.
Rodrigue Tongue: And to what extent do you want to go further?
Louise Mushikiwabo: So the aspects where I would like to go further, obviously, the search for private funds, because we have so many beautiful activities that have a real impact on the lives of citizens, but we don’t do enough. For me, it’s quite frustrating. Today, the fund I’m talking about has benefited 100,000 women, let’s say, since its creation, and I would like it to be at least a million instead of 100,000, because it works well. We really need to re-budget the organisation, and bring more substantial funds for activities that work well. Let’s consider youth training, for example, in the area of digital trade. We have trained around 21,000 young people today, but I am frustrated that we cannot do more because we are limited by our budgets. So, I approached the African Development Bank, which is now associated with the IOF. First of all, we will go from 20,000 trained youths, including 40 young girls, to 100,000 to start with. We can go further so, for me, what is left is to do more with what works well, and we have several initiatives like that.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: It is interesting that you are highlighting, the fund, La Francophonie Avec Elle in particular, as one of your most remarkable achievements. When we know that you are the first African woman to lead the International Organisation of Francophonie. I believe there is a real vision for the role of women and youth within the Francophone space, both of which are, of course, the key pillars of the IOF. What is important to you in this policy of promoting gender equality in space and also in our African countries?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Gender equality is a subject that has been close to my heart for a long time. I am aware of what women bring to society. I have tangible evidence of having traveled the world, and the African continent in particular. And I believe we do not fully measure the contribution of women, which goes far beyond childcare and household management. Women are very important economic actors. Moreover, here at the IOF, we have carried out a study on the invisible work of women. The proposal for Women’s Day 2027 is to highlight the unaccounted-for work done by women. So, for me, it is a capital issue, since we are an organisation that is directed towards the Francophone people with women being the majority in most of our countries, focusing our action on women was an absolute necessity. On my arrival in 2019, the summit where I was selected in Erevan, in its conclusions, wanted a rapid implementation of a Direction of a Gender Equality Unit. It was one of my first achievements here at the IOF, with a strategy derived from fruitful discussions at the institutional level of our organisation. And so, this unit was rapidly set up in 2019. But then, let me return to what I earlier mentioned about our focal point. I wanted us to stay… There are many things to do for the advancement of women and gender equality. I wanted us to focus on the education of girls and the economic autonomy of women. I was convinced that there are many other subjects of great importance. The fight against violence, women and health, equality in education, justice in wages, there are many subjects. But I am convinced that an educated woman and a woman who does not have to beg and is capable of leading all these other fights too. For me, these two actions have guided the IOF’s activity on gender equality. And so, the fund, La Francophonie Avec Elle, is a fund that supports the economic life of women. But behind this economic and financial autonomy, there is also support for the community. Because you know, women do not limit themselves to their household. They contribute to their extended family, to their community. They also educate themselves. There is also a very important aspect, which is to give women a little more dignity. Because, you know, poverty is still something. When you are very poor, you do not have the luxury of dignity. And so, for me, it was strategic because it impacts several aspects of women’s lives.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: Very well. You are a woman at the heart of several challenges. This brings us to the second phase of the top-priority issue of the IOF, which is that of democracy and governance. Madam Louise Mushikiwabo, the Francophone space, you know, has been strongly marked by political crises and coups d’état. In 2025, a small or a big earthquake, you would tell us. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have left the IOF, a first in the history of the organisation. And at the same time, the IOF continues to accompany electoral processes and the transition of several States. So, in this context, what is the political role that the organisation you lead really plays in crises? And where do you place the limit between the defence of these principles, dialogue, and above all, respect for the sovereignty of states?
Louise Mushikiwabo: So, it’s not a simple question. I am a political woman, so the subject is not new to me. I think that multilateral, intergovernmental organisations can contribute to the resolution of crises, to the stability of our States. But we must not overestimate the role of these organisations either. Because, you know, to manage crises, to contribute to pacifying our countries, our societies, the most important ingredient is the political will of the leaders. Without that, and we see what is happening in several crises today, we are moving forward, but we are not really able to solve the problems. So, I would simply like to say that we should not think that an organisation such as the IOF, which brings its contribution, which works a lot in the political field, is the entity that will put an end to tensions and provide solutions. There is certainly a contribution, but modest. We are limited by the will of the States. You know, when we are faced with decisions that we do not control, it is not easy to drive a positive change. Indeed, we have three countries that, to my great regret, have left our organisation. I hope it is temporary, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. I think it is of public notoriety. These States have left the organisation, not because of the IOF, but it is a result of very turbulent geopolitics. What I regret a lot is that these are still important countries for our organisation. Niger is a founding country of this organisation. Institutional Francophonie was born on the banks of the Niger River with President Amani Diouri among the founders. Mali, our major political text, which guides our action, which was voted by our States, is called the Bamako Declaration. It is sad that a country that is an organisation, for me who leads the organisation, but especially for these countries. It is also difficult because we are an organisation that primarily deals with people. Francophonie was founded by very enlightened men, three Africans and an Asian, who wanted us to get together in a momentum of cooperation and to bring something, to exchange between us, to have cooperation across the five continents and bring people together. The word solidarity is part of the DNA of our organisation. For us, many activities that were underway when these states left the organisation became very difficult. I’ll give you an example. In Niger, we had a very beautiful activity that was related to the civil state, where our agents, our consultants, went to the villages and worked with the local authorities to first mobilise the citizens, explain and provide technical knowledge to ensure that the citizens are well identified and have their civil statues document It was one of our best projects in the region. I think we impacted about 60 villages in the north of Niger. You can’t work on an aspect like that without the authorities. The same goes for education, by the way. We are obliged to work with the authorities of the country and so it impacted our activities. What I thought was necessary at the time was not to let the projects that had already begun go ahead. I wanted us to at least go all the way. So I wrote to the Head of State asking for their permission to let us finish the projects that were underway. Fortunately, there was no opposition to that. But this is even more complicated. Once again, we have the will, but we are constrained.
Eric Le Golfe Kouatchou: Today, the IOF brings together 80 States and governments across 5 continents and represents 396 million French speakers, but the organisation is sometimes still perceived as a space where the financial resources come mainly from the North, while the needs are in the South. Secretary General, does this North-South interpretation reflect reality? How can you make your organisation a space of truly shared responsibility, interest and benefit?
Louise Mushikiwabo: It is not incorrect to say that the countries of the North – and I am generalising here – are the donor countries that make the largest financial contributions to the organisation for activities that are mainly carried out in the South, but this is somewhat normal because the contributions of our Member States are calculated based on the economies of our countries, and it is clear that the countries of the North, from an economic point of view, are much more advanced, so their contributions are much higher. However, one thing that I strongly hold onto, and still do, is not to view the organisation in terms of North and South. And I have said since I took over as head of the IOF that all the Member States matter to me. We are in an area with major powers, nuclear powers, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, as well as middle-income countries with lower incomes but which also have a contribution to make, and very small island states, for example the states of the Indian Ocean. It is a balance that must be found. The countries of the North are obviously the biggest contributors, but firstly, there are two things: the countries of the South also have something to contribute. For example, the countries of the South are a very good market for other countries. You know South-east Asia, for example, our member countries Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. For example, you know, these are countries that want to trade with French-speaking Africa. Members of our organisation, such as Canada and Quebec, are seeking to establish relations with the rest of the French-speaking world. There is this contribution, there is all the energy of the youth of the countries of the South. There is talent, there is a lot of talent, so everyone contributes their share. I was saying that it’s not untrue, but it’s not just the countries of the North that are the donors and the countries of the South that are the recipients. There is this exchange, there is sharing between the North and the South. What is important is to consider all states as having the same rights, obeying the same rules, and not to apply certain rules in favour of the countries that are great contributors, and much less so for the countries that are the recipients. I was Minister of Foreign Affairs for about ten years. This is a dichotomy that I understand well, but I believe that all countries are different from a financial, technological, social and cultural point of view. The beauty of an organisation like ours is finding a good balance in all of this. When we can contribute something, as a country from the Global South, that’s a very, very good thing. And when we can contribute, but not just financially, as a country of the North, that’s also a good thing. It’s not easy to achieve this balance because there are practices, there are ways of viewing the world, but for me it’s not just about countries in the North and countries in the South; it’s about this meeting between the North and the South where, in one way or another, everyone benefits.
Rodrigue Tongue: I would like to cite this statistic for Benin. One agreement alone accounted for €30 million over the period from 2022 to the present day. Whereas, overall, the projects generated – 22,000 companies in particular – that you have initiated, have generated €45 million in turnover. So, I would like to ask you this question, Madam Secretary General, how can we now move from economic missions and B2B meetings to sustainable investments in order to establish the African value chain? Since we are talking about Africa, we have observed that Africa still benefits from the spin-offs of the projects set up by the IOF.
Louise Mushikiwabo: What you have to do is make everyone understand that there are some investment opportunities. I often say that Africans themselves do not know each other. I come from East Africa. I discovered West Africa, for example, as a student in the United States of America because I met and was involved in African student clubs. I realize how much, even between neighbors, we do not know ourselves. So we’re not sure if we can invest in a country we do not know. And in our economic and trade missions such as the one that took place in Benin last year, I was there. Economic actors discover themselves and it is a very important role that the IOF plays and can continue to play, by being the bridge between economic actors from different regions of the French-speaking zone, while being a support system. Because there are those who do not dare, because they do not know how to operate in a country far from their own, and that is an economic mission. Indeed, in Benin, we had a large number of economic actors, investors, people who were looking to do business in Benin or with Beninese stakeholders. But for me, who knows Africa, I was astonished because we realized that, for example, economic actors from my home country of Rwanda did not know about the opportunities that there were in Benin. And so this role is important. A good investor will first try to understand the codes of the country, the economic codes and the advantages. So, what is really important, and it is a role that the IOF can continue to play, is to introduce francophone economic actors in different regions of the francophone zone. In about ten days, we will be in Djibouti with the same economic and commercial mission. We are going to talk about maritime transport. This is an important aspect today, given what is happening in international transport. But to date, we have about 200 companies that will be in Djibouti on October 6 and 7. It is both a discovery, but also a great business opportunity and I must say that the economic Francophonie has experienced significant growth. I’m also interested in being able to reach out to economic actors, the private sector. It’s not just, it’s not only governments and officials like the rest of us in international organizations. If we can expand our action in the economic field, the benefits are real. And I insisted my colleagues at the economic and financial direction to make sure that every time we organize these economic missions, it’s not just a caravan. There are signed contracts and therefore, at each meeting, we first make sure to foster economic relations between actors who do not know each other. It doesn’t happen right away while on mission, but during the missions. We make sure every time that at least a few contracts are signed directly, whether in Benin. The project you mentioned, which is 30 million euros, if I remember correctly a Belgian company approached Beninese actors in the processing and export of meat. When we were in Vietnam, we went to both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in 2023. It was the acquisition of agricultural equipment from West African actors in South-east Asia. And that’s really a very important role major multinationals don’t need the IOF, they know how to get in. But our role is mainly at the level of small and medium-sized enterprises. I say it every time, you have your embassies, you have different entrances, but you also have the IOF. We have even sometimes been directly involved in negotiations between them, between economic actors or economic actors and our states. We have the capacity and entry into both the private sector and the public sector. And the economic Francophonie is moving forward with a strategic partnership of French-speaking employers with the Fédération Francophone des Affaires and with individuals who are in the economic world. It is a wealth, in my opinion still untapped.
Rodrigue Tongue: I wish you a beautiful harvest in Djibouti. Also, let’s point out that this interview is recorded on September 29, and therefore Djibouti, is a few days ahead. So it’s October 6. I would like to lead you, Madam Secretary General, in the priority issues of a useful Francophonie. Among these, we were able to note, obviously by consulting your reports, that the IOF targets directly young people from 18 to 35 years old, with the programe fameux déclic that is dear to you, training for 4 to 9 months in digital professions and support towards professional integration. The programme has now entered a scaling-up phase. So, Madam Secretary General, for a young African who is now looking for a job or wants to create one. What is the difference between the water that IOF offers to you and your life as an entrepreneur or a beneficiary of a job? How can you motivate young people today to leave from the logic of employment to the entrepreneurial logic?
Louise Mushikiwabo: So with our teams, we meet regularly and what really pleased me is that among the young people trained by this Déclic Program, there are some who created their own small businesses and are now employers. We are actually listing them to share information. I have to say, I think I mentioned it, my frustration is not being able to do more. There is such enthusiasm among young people about everything digital. And now, with artificial intelligence, we really need to take advantage of this desire to get by. Francophone youths, who are not beggar-oriented youths, are young people who want us to help them a little more, to guide them or to train them in small trades and who are ready to work. I saw that through this program. I am African, I know the reality of young people on the continent. Our organization has first of all, with the Déclic Program, we see on to the field, through our various representations, we have thirteen in the world and through our networks. We also have a large number of networks affiliated to the Francophonie and we launch calls for young people on various courses related to digital technology. And there is a selection process. But before that, we also made sure to understand the needs of different markets in different regions. We also prefer local trainers because, as you well know, in this area, Africa is very advanced with small companies that provide highly targeted training and the result is incredible. Is that enough? No, it’s not enough. But this culture of survival and even prosperity is a culture that is there, but that needs to be pushed, that needs to be supervised. And that’s what we see with the young people who are interested in this program. I mentioned to you earlier that we signed with the president of the African Bank three months ago. I think an agreement for a collaboration on this specific program so that we can impact more young people, going from 21,000 to 100,000 for the first year, but certainly much more after. Youths are a real issue for the continent, for the African continent. It’s a real issue because it’s a demographic and economic reality, and I can contribute a lot if we take care of it properly. But the needs are enormous. The African population is very young, very very young and therefore an organization like ours cannot make its contribution. It remains quite modest as I said, but she is still useful.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: And the needs are enormous. There are young people, there are also issues of technology. We will specifically address issues of priority of the third mandate that you intend to conquer within a few moments.
Back on the set of Face à l’Afrique, a special program of major meetings with leaders and leaders of the continent. We are in the presence of Louise Mushikiwabo, the Secretary General of the International Organization of la Francophonie, who is seeking a third term after having obviously taken stock of your eight years at the head of this institution. It is time to outline your priorities for the upcoming mandate you intend to conquer.
We were talking earlier about youth and programs set up to support African youths in their emancipation and development. One of the structuring elements of your priorities is technology. You are now working on artificial intelligence and multilingualism. One data point particularly illustrates this African challenge. In this area, content in African languages accounts for about 4.3% of digital content. That’s minimal, even though these African languages represent 11.7% of the speakers taken into account. So the question is obviously How can we prevent artificial intelligence from reproducing this under-representation of African languages and cultures? And above all, how to make francophone Africa a real producer of data technologies and AI solutions rather than, as is the case, a mere consumer?
Louise Mushikiwabo: This is such an important question because today I am coming from New York after a week at the General Assembly. All through last week, there were at least twenty meetings and events on artificial intelligence, including a side event organized by ourselves, the IOF, on artificial intelligence and languages and cultures other than the languages of major platforms, the language of major platforms, languages. Because there is also Chinese, especially English, and it’s a subject that I would very much like to see leaders from the continent taking over. Everyone is aware of the potential, and also of some small dangers, of artificial intelligence, but we have not yet fully understood what this means for our continent. So who says innovation, artificial intelligence, says youth too, since we are a very young continent.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: Says reconfiguration …
Louise Mushikiwabo: And we absolutely need a reconfiguration. In fact, I sometimes wonder about that. I asked the director of our institute for education, which is based in Dakar, whether the entire school process would not change given the reality of artificial intelligence. And she is a woman who knows about digital and technology and you know, we had better move very quickly because these same technologies are moving very, very, very fast. I was at the summit on Artificial Intelligence here in Paris. I think two years ago, and during dinner which preceded the summit, on the eve of the summit, there was a question. It was a dinner at the Élysée. There was a question from one of the executives, I can’t remember which one, who asked the CEO of Google what they anticipated in ten years. Given how quickly things are moving forward, how do you anticipate the future of artificial intelligence in ten years? And the CEO’s reaction is incredible. He was almost surprised to see that someone talked about ten years in artificial intelligence and he said I think it was five years. And he said you know, we and our competitors and all of us who are in this field, we’re wondering how to prepare, not for five years or ten years, but for a month, because things move so fast. The discoveries lead to other discoveries. It’s really a field that is galloping now. On the African continent, I see encounters. I know that, through our representation in Geneva, which deals with everything related to technological regulation and artificial intelligence. Moreover, Switzerland, an important member country of our organization, is very concerned about this issue. There is a lot of willpower, but I think that actions should follow vividly so that we aren’t left behind. It’s a real revolution, but a real revolution when you see fields like medicine and artificial intelligence. But we are really very, very far from where we were even a year ago. And for us at the IOF, it would be a shame for our very diverse cultures and languages to be left on the side by this revolution, which incidentally involves young people a lot in our activities and our planning. In 2028, the IOF begins a new programming cycle. The current programming ends in 2027. Well, I think that no matter who will be at the head of the organization, we will absolutely have to focus on our cultures, our languages, and the French language. But so are our national languages, whether they are in this exchange, in this landscape of artificial intelligence. Because otherwise, we shouldn’t think that artificial intelligence will come after us, and will come to meet our differences. Our cultures are a huge source of wealth. It is now up to us to adapt artificial intelligence to our cultural realities. Because I think that soon, if we’re not in this momentum, we’re a bit lost. I would say the same thing beyond culture and language. I mentioned earlier about everything related to education; we can take giant steps with it. With this new revolution. And so yes, I believe that for us, the IOF, our role is also to mobilize our states, to bring them together. We do this with the representatives of our states from Geneva, but we need to do much more.
Rodrigue Tongue: And that will be the theme of your next term if you are elected. This aspect of the development of technology, of artificial intelligence.
Louise Mushikiwabo: Indeed, if I am elected for another term at the head of the IOF, it is part of my ambition to see this meeting between our different cultures and our common language, which is the French language and artificial intelligence. I think that even for these platforms, which are rather American, it’s still interesting. I don’t see because it’s also platforms that are looking for the number of speakers. There are about 400 million of us today. I don’t think that’s still negligible. So a lot of advocacy work is needed, an approach with the various existing platforms, but also Africa is a very innovative continent. I think we also need to meet African innovators in this field. Our countries have already adopted artificial intelligence strategies. But again, there is urgency.
Rodrigue Tongue: So, can you tell us, Madam Secretary General, why you are once again a candidate for a third term as Secretary General of the International Organization of the Francophonie?
Louise Mushikiwabo: For me, it’s simple, I really like what I do. When I arrived at the head of the organization, I wanted this challenge coming from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because in reality, we are more or less Ministers of Foreign Affairs of all these member countries. I wanted this challenge, it wasn’t easy, but we still had very good results and I really like what I do. So, I still have energy to work a little more. That’s mostly it. Of course, I was approached by several countries, especially during the last ministerial meeting held in Kigali, in my country, in November with requests from a few major countries in the French-speaking world. So, I answered that as well. That said, I don’t think I’m the only person who can lead this organization. I am competing for this position, and it is a job that I truly love .
Eric Le Golfe Kouatchou: I would like to remind our viewers that the texts of the International Organization of La Francophonie do not set a mandate for the maximum number of mandates. This also means that President Abdou Diouf has served three terms. Your candidacy, however, Madam, the Secretary General, is provoking a debate on alternation. What do you say to those who raise the question of alternation and would you be in favor of an explicit limitation of the number of terms of office for the Secretary General of the IOF in the future?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Oh, you know, I think the debate on alternation is quite legitimate. There are several organizations that, in their text, limit mandates and favor alternation. This is not the case yet, at least here. Here, at the IOF, but it’s legitimate. However, I hope we won’t limit ourselves to a work-study program just for the pleasure of changing, of having a new person. It’s important not to leave aside the aspects of skill and experience, because it is not a small job. If the States who are the decision makers want to decide. They want to change, whether in the founding charter of our organization, or in other aspects. I am very open. I am at the disposal of the States as head of the IOF secretariat. It is a long debate. I am not against alternation if it is the decision of our States that make important decisions like this, I think that limiting ourselves to novelty or geography would not be fair. It should also be understood that for a position such as that of the IOF’s general secretary, priority must first be given to competence and the ability to manage an organization like this one. So I am very open to what the States want. For now, there are no limits, there is no term limit or alternation by continent or region. But I am very open to that.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: Exactly, this will be your first time that the appointment is done by election, by vote and four candidates are officially on the list. Three come from Africa, notably the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Rwanda and one from Romania. The competition will therefore not lead to a single African candidacy. Obviously, there are voices that can rise to question this lack of univocal character of African candidates. So I want to know this plurality of African candidacy for you? Is it a political problem, or do you agree that it is the normal expression of the diversity of sovereign choices on the continent?
Louise Mushikiwabo: I have never understood this desire to see Africa emerge with only one or a single candidate. I think that the diversity of talents on the continent, the desire to strive for excellence, is really important for the organization and for the continent too. Besides, it’s interesting because. I followed the various sequences of elective summits or selection of IOF leaders and I remember particularly from Dakar in 2014 because I was Minister Responsible for the Francophonie at the time. I think it’s restraining telling Africa to get us a single candidate or organize yourselves? I sometimes even find a certain condescension in this desire to organize Africa to find a single candidate.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: Wouldn’t there be more weight for the continent? in this configuration?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Listen, I think it’s very healthy for an organization like this to have this opening on the whole world, since we are the whole world, the African continent of course, which has the most weight in this organization. But can you imagine us leaving the Football World Cup? If we were saying today, instead of having several African teams, organize yourselves to find a single team that will compete at the World Cup between the Leopards and the Elephants. Finding a single team is enough for Africa. I think it’s very healthy, especially when there is an election. It’s more democratic, it’s more open and may the best or the best win.
Eric Le Golfe Kouatchou: This electoral reform was adopted in 2022 and is being fully implemented for the first time in this election. Open call for candidacy, formalized criteria, presentation of strategic visions, hearing before the ministers. That was the case for your competitors, and you, the 53 full members, will be voting on November 12. As we said,
Madam Secretary General, you who led this reform, do you think it really makes the appointment of the Secretary General more transparent, more democratic?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Absolutely. I think that today’s formula for selecting the leader of the IOF is not only transparent, but it is also a reflection. If it is applied as it is, yes, indeed, out of a desire for democracy, transparency, and free choice. For me, this is part of the modernization and modernity of our organization. There is no doubt about it.
Eric Le Golfe Kouatchou: Don’t you think that the lack of consensus can create division among member countries?
Louise Mushikiwabo: So consensus is favored there, it has always been. But, note these two things. The consensus has not always been good for the African continent. I am thinking particularly of Dakar, where there was a discussion regarding candidacy consensus and I witnessed many countries leave these summits expressing dissatisfaction. So the consensus, if you like, is a kind of game between different parties from different countries. But it is not necessarily the reflection of the will of each State that each one exercises its right of selection, of choice. That’s it, the consensus remains in our texts today, but for the first time this year, so on November 16 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, if from the outset there is a consensus, why not? But if there is no consensus, for once in our texts, we move on to the vote. For me, it’s clearer and more legitimate.
Rodrigue Tongue: Your candidacy is being put forward by Rwanda, your country next to yours. We have a candidacy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a time when there is talk of consensus and at a time when rising tensions in the Great Lakes region between Congo and Rwanda are being noted. Won’t this situation revive these tensions? Doesn’t that rule out, in fact, the consensus between two neighboring countries that are struggling to agree on the issue of Kivu in particular?
Louise Mushikiwabo: Obviously, it’s no secret that the tensions between my country and the DRC are known and there. I think the situation is calming down, but it hasn’t been resolved. It would be a mistake to transfer this conflict in the IOF’s proceedings. I am completely on the same line as the candidate from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who also said that the IOF is not the war front for both countries. I completely agree with her and partly because how will that advance the solution to this crisis? I don’t see it. Then, because it would be a very bad precedent to want to import the tensions between member countries in a decision not of leading countries but of personalities who must lead this organization. We talk about countries but we forget that it is not the countries that will lead, it is individuals, people with a certain qualification who must be at the head of this organization. So this is not the place, you know, it’s very rare to find an organization with so many countries where there are no tensions between member countries. In fact, there are other conflicts within our Francophone space. So for me, it’s not the tensions that are there, the crisis is there. There are agreements that have been reached by the two countries and other actors. I think we should focus on implementing these agreements rather than prolonging this conflict within the IOF. I think this conflict is much better at the edge of Lake Kivu than being put on stage.
Rodrigue Tongue: And you guarantee that you will retain your international responsibilities in the face of your Rwandan identity, despite the persistence of this conflict in the day-to-day management of the IOF.
Louise Mushikiwabo: First of all, I am Rwandan and I am proud of it. I love my country. But at the IOF, I work for all States. This is part of my professional practices. Even before the IOF, I considered all States to be entitled and treated them in the same way. So once at the IOF, I am no longer the Minister of Rwanda; I represent all our member States, including obviously those States that are neither African nor from my region, but my region that did not vote for the Great Lakes. Personally, I think I am a solid candidate, but I am open to competition. It’s very healthy, it’s not bad for the organization. I am, as I said, I don’t know where anymore, not long ago. I am very calm about this competition. I am delighted, as Secretary-General, who helped to reform and modernize the organization we are today, at a time when we are applying texts from elsewhere that were. And we must remember that these are texts and rules that have been adopted by all our member states. And so it’s not bad to be one of the people who would benefit from this modernity of our organization.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: So you approach the next Francophonie Summit with serenity, if we believe what you say.
Louise Mushikiwabo: Absolutely!
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: This meeting will be held on 15 and 16 November in Phnom Penh with the theme Reinvesting in peace for shared prosperity and lasting stability. Today, what is the concrete state of preparations for this meeting? And above all, what specific commitments do you expect from the Heads of State and government so that this theme, which is very evocative, does not remain just a slogan?
Louise Mushikiwabo: So, let me start with the second question. This summit is a summit that we are awaiting, the IOF and myself. We are expecting Heads of States to help us better structure our political action so that we can move on to the cooperative and economic aspects of the work of the IOF. This summit will be held in a part of the French-speaking world that does not automatically come to mind. We do not think of Asia when we talk about the Francophonie, but Cambodia, the country that will host this summit, is a founding country of our organization. With King Norodom Sihanouk who joined forces with the three Africans, Senghor, Diori, and Bourguiba. So this is also a very symbolic summit. And what about Cambodia, this region is still a region that has experienced remarkable economic growth. And so it’s also symbolic that this summit is happening over there, but it also has its own political concerns. Cambodia today is also in conflict with its neighbor, Thailand, over a cross-border border conflict. And so for me, this summit will cease to be expected by the Heads of State, who will have very limited private meetings on what each one can contribute to appeasing the world, since conflicts are scattered across the five continents and beyond this expectation of being guided, to be enriched, strengthened in our political action. Well, Heads of States are sovereign, they can make different decisions at the summit. It is also an opportunity between Heads of State at this very troubled time. In our world, to be able to exchange ideas with each other. So we will also favor bilateral meetings. The media, I hope you will also be available there too, the Heads of State. We want an exchange that helps us work better on political issues. Because without stability, peace itself is not enough if it does not last. And so there is the notion of stability, of peace, but also of stability. How can we achieve this? What can each of us contribute? We are rather in a rich space of great diversity, both historically, geographically, technologically and politically. It’s really a moment, seeing what is happening in the world today, a very important moment so that those who lead this organisation should be enriched and maybe receive new instructions to guide the political action of our organization.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: So, we are in the phase, on the last item of this special edition of FACE A L’AFRIQUE facing Africa, together with African journalists, media experts on the continent. Maybe one last question, Eric Le Golfe.
Eric Le Golfe Kouatchou: One last question. Madam Secretary General, and thank you for your availability. African leaders often give a prominent place to the major international media when they wish to speak out beyond Africa’s borders. On your path, you have regularly agreed to speak to the African media. I thank you for that. Why this choice and what role do you think the African media should play in the way Africa itself tells its stories, its crises, its successes and finally its ambitions?
Louise Mushikiwabo: I will first reply to you as an African, then as the Secretary General of the Francophonie who is going beyond Africa. As an African, I am very concerned that Africa should be able to speak to Africa. I also want Africa to value its talents in the field of the media – press. There is no shortage of talent. With Africa24, which I have been following from outset, I have been discovering myself by following you. Some important aspects of African regions I am not associated with. And this is a very good thing. So I believe that our continent, I am not the first to say it. In fact, even at the level of the African Union, I think it was the Kenyan president who suggested that there should really be a focus on African media so that Africa can tell its own story. It is important for others to talk about Africa. This is already the case, but we should still hear much more of these African voices of Africans themselves regarding their continent. Now, as Secretary General of the Francophonie, Africa constitutes more than half of the full members of this organization. In reality, this organization was founded, as you know, by the countries of the South, including the African majority. Much work is done on the African continent and therefore the beneficiaries of the action of our organization of the Francophonie are mainly on the African continent. So, it is important for the IOF, through myself or others, that we can talk about what we do, and indeed what our ambitions are for this organization to the African citizens. So for me, it is only natural that we address the African media and that regularly, we can also answer your questions. We are accountable to the African citizens who make up the majority of our organization’s members in demographic terms, but also within the institutions of the Francophonie.
Rodrigue Tongue: Is this particular hitch of three media companies, Canal 2 International, Afrique Media, and Africa24, which is at the center of this organization. Do you support them with this type of harness? That the African media come together to pursue the same objectives, a little bit like how you see elsewhere a particular variation is needed.
Louise Mushikiwabo: I find this formula very winning because we manage to reach a much wider audience. But it is also this collegial aspect of the African media that is also a very, very good thing.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: We are actually in a studio at the IOF in Paris. This is proof that the organization is very attached to the visibility of its actions. This is also a signal that the IOF wants to be as close as possible to its beneficiaries. In any case, thank you Louise Mushikiwabo for granting us this interview.
Louise Mushikiwabo: I am the one who thanks you.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: And we’ll say maybe at the Phnom Penh Summit on November 15-16, 2026.
Louise Mushikiwabo: See you on the 16th at Phnom Penh. I hope you will be there. The three media
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: It’s a formal invitation
Media: We will be there.
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: It will be with great pleasure.
The Media: Thank you! Thank you!
Louise Mushikiwabo: Thank you!
Régine Gwladys Lebouda: So it was the show Face à l’Afrique, your special interview program with leaders of the African continent, carried by leading African media and overseen by the group Africa24, the first global news channel dedicated to Africa. Thank you for staying with us during this major meeting and see you soon.
