Juliana Lumumba intensifies her diplomatic efforts from Rabat in preparation for the Francophonie Summit.

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

As part of its preparations for upcoming events within Francophone spaceJuliana Lumumba, the official candidate representing the Democratic Republic of Congo to challenge current Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo of Rwanda for the leadership of the International Organization of the Francophonie, continued her diplomatic efforts by holding a high-level meeting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, in the presence of the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Francophonie and Congolese Abroad, Crispin Mbadu.

Discussion of strengthening the role of the Francophonie organization on the international stage

The meeting addressed ways to develop the Francophonie organization and enhance its role on the international stage, with a focus on building a more modern, inclusive Francophone space capable of responding to the challenges of the current stage and the aspirations of the younger generations in French-speaking countries.

During the talks, Lumumba outlined her vision for the future of the Francophonie, stressing the importance of transforming the organization into an effective platform for creating opportunities and promoting equality among member states, as well as supporting joint cooperation in the areas of development, education and culture.

Morocco plays a prominent role within the Francophone judiciary.

She also praised the role played by Morocco within the Francophone space, considering it a pivotal partner thanks to its continued commitment to education, sustainable development and cultural dialogue, as well as its contributions to promoting rapprochement and exchange between French-speaking peoples.

This meeting comes as part of a series of diplomatic consultations ahead of the upcoming Francophonie Summit, amid growing efforts to redefine the organization’s role to align with international transformations and the development requirements of member states.

In another context, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, and his Burundian counterpart, Evariste Ndayishimiye, held bilateral talks on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the African Union City, on the second day of the Burundian President’s official visit to Kinshasa.

The meeting was attended by a number of members of the African Union Task Force on Ebola Response, and a significant part of the discussion was devoted to developments in the health situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in light of the outbreak.

During the talks, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye expressed his support for the efforts of health response teams, calling on the international community not to close the borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo, in order to facilitate the entry of urgent humanitarian and medical aid, and to strengthen containment and prevention capabilities.

For his part, President Felix Tshisekedi announced his intention to make a field visit to Ituri province in the coming days, to see firsthand the developments of the epidemiological situation and to assess the response efforts on the ground.