Julian Lumumba Targets North Africa in Push for OIF Leadership

Juliana Amato Lumumba is turning to North Africa as the Democratic Republic of Congo pushes to strengthen its campaign for the leadership of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, according to Beto.cd.

The Congolese candidate is expected to visit Tunis, Rabat and Cairo as Kinshasa seeks wider African backing before the next OIF leadership decision. The planned tour matters because those capitals sit within a broader diplomatic space where Francophone influence, African coordination and institutional alliances can shape outcomes.

The OIF is currently led by Louise Mushikiwabo, who was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, according to the official Francophonie profile. Her expected bid for another term gives the race a sharper political edge, especially as tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali continue over the conflict in eastern Congo.

For the DRC, Lumumba’s candidacy is also part of a wider argument that Congo, often presented by Kinshasa as one of the largest Francophone countries, deserves a stronger role in the governance of the French-speaking world as previously noted in our report .

The next Francophonie Summit is expected in Cambodia in November 2026, with Phnom Penh preparing to host the gathering, according to regional reporting on the 2026 summit. Before then, Lumumba’s North Africa outreach could become an important test of whether Kinshasa can turn symbolic support into a broader voting bloc.