Kinshasa:France says it will watch OIF process closely as May 15 nears

France’s minister delegate for Francophonie and international partnerships, Éléonore Caroit, said in Kinshasa that Paris is following the ongoing Francophonie leadership process “closely” and remains open to all applications as the stated May 15 submission deadline approaches.

The remarks came after her meeting with Crispin Mbadu Phanzu, the DRC’s minister delegate for foreign affairs and international cooperation in charge of Francophonie and the diaspora as first reported by 7 sur 7.cd .

The comments add a new signal to a succession season already under scrutiny in Kinshasa. One day earlier, reporting and analysis in the DRC pointed to plans to challenge Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo’s bid for a third term, with Congolese officials framing the contest around questions of neutrality and institutional credibility amid DRC–Rwanda tensions.

Caroit described the Francophonie leadership selection as a candidate-driven electoral process rather than a state contest. “It is not countries that are presenting themselves, but candidates,” she said, adding that France is “open to all applications” and will be “very attentive” to the process as it unfolds.

While Caroit did not comment publicly on any specific contender, her emphasis on procedure and attentiveness lands at a moment when the OIF’s political role alongside its cultural and linguistic mission is being tested by the way member states interpret the institution’s responses to regional crises. For context, the OIF describes itself as an international organization bringing together governments and states linked by the French language and cooperation across areas such as education, culture, and political dialogue.

France urges DRC to “fully play its role” inside the Francophonie

Alongside the procedural message, Caroit delivered a direct expectation for Kinshasa: “What is important for us is that the DRC fully plays its role within the Francophonie,” she said, pointing to continued work to promote the French language and the values member states claim to share.

She also linked that role to multilateral engagement, referencing discussions on United Nations resolutions and the DRC’s two-year membership on the UN Security Council framing the OIF as an institution where Kinshasa’s diplomatic weight should be visible.

Caroit argued that the DRC’s importance inside the Francophonie will grow as Africa becomes the demographic center of French-language expansion. She highlighted Congolese youth and raised the issue of a census as a way to better quantify the number of French speakers in the DRC, noting that precise figures are not currently available in the public discussion.

She cited 320 million French speakers globally today, and projected about 700 million by 2050, with the majority expected to be in Africa placing the DRC “at the heart” of that shift.

What this follow-up adds to the succession story

Compared with yesterday’s framing Kinshasa signaling a readiness to contest Mushikiwabo’s continuation today’s development adds two practical takeaways:

• France is signaling heightened attention to the process itself, including the timeline and candidate-based nature of the selection.

• France is also pressing for deeper Congolese engagement inside Francophonie institutions, implicitly reinforcing the argument that Kinshasa’s demographic and political weight should translate into institutional influence.

Caroit’s government portfolio is officially listed as minister delegate responsible for Francophonie, international partnerships, and French nationals abroad.