Kinshasa, May 7th, 2026 (CPA).– The President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby, received in N’Djamena the Congolese minister in charge of Francophonie affairs, who came to seek his country’s support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s candidacy for the post of Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophone (OIF), according to a statement consulted Thursday by CPA. “Mandated by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, Minister Crispin Mbadu transmitted an official message relating to the candidacy of Ms. Juliana Lumumba for the position of Secretary-General of the OIF,” the communiqué from the Deputy Minister attached to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Francophonie and the Congolese Diaspora stated.
During the discussions, the DRC reaffirmed its vision of a Francophone of action, solidarity and renewal, led by the world’s largest French-speaking country. The candidacy of Ms. Juliana Lumumba embodies the ambition of an engaged Africa aiming to bring new political, economic and cultural momentum to the Francophone space, the source added. This meeting reflects the strengthening of ties between Kinshasa and N’Djamena around key Francophone issues, including youth, balanced multilateralism and cooperation among Francophone peoples. Since two successive meetings between accredited ambassadors in Kinshasa and the Congolese Head of State, followed by discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congolese government has been conducting an intensive diplomatic campaign across several Francophone capitals. On March 31st, President Tshisekedi sent a delegation to Brazzaville to meet his counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso, led by Crispin Mbadu, Deputy Minister in charge of Francophone and the Congolese diaspora, to seek Brazzaville’s support for Juliana Lumumba’s candidacy. The elective General Assembly is scheduled to take place during the Francophone Summit in Cambodia on November 15th –16th, 2026.