The Secretary-General of International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo, urged member states to protect the body's unity, warning against attempts to turn it into a platform for bilateral political disputes.

Speaking at the opening of the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Sunday, November 15, Mushikiwabo called on member states to prioritise dialogue and cooperation.

ALSO READ: What&039;s at stake as Francophonie leaders meet in Cambodia?

Mushikiwabo, who is seeking re-election as the head of OIF, said this days after DR Congo threatened to leave the organisation if the Rwandan politician is re-elected for a third term, over bilateral tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa.

On Saturday, DR Congo also withdrew its candidate, Juliana Lumumba and backed Romanian former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos.

"Members of the OIF must resist the t emptation to make the organisation bilateral, at the risk of fragmenting it. The OIF is not a defensive alliance, and its unity does not require uniformity of positions.” Mushikiwabo said.

She underlined the need for countries to maintain dialogue and cooperation despite their differences.

ALSO READ: Nduhungirehe explains why Rwanda rejected request to withdraw

Mushikiwabo, who has led the organisation since 2018, now faces two candidate: the Romanian politician and Coumba Bâ of Mauritania.

The leadership contest comes ahead of the election scheduled for Monday, November 16.

The decision is made by heads of state and government, or their representatives, during a closed session of the OIF summit. Member states first seek consensus, but if no agreement is reached, a vote is held, with the winner determined by a simple majority of votes cast by members present and voting.

ALSO READ: Who gets to choose the next Francophonie Secretary-General?

Beyond the political message, Mushikiwabo highlighted the organisation’s work in economic cooperation, youth employment and conflict prevention.

She said the community should strengthen its role as a platform for dialogue, trust, solidarity and cooperation, enabling member states to contribute to preventing and resolving conflicts and supporting sustainable development.

She also highlighted efforts to promote economic cooperation and labour market integration, including plans to launch an information portal for Francophone youth in 2027.

The initiative is intended to improve access to information and opportunities for young people across the Francophone community.

ALSO READ: What to know about Cambodia as Kagame visits

For Cambodia, hosting the summit for the first time was a moment of particular significance, according to the Southeast Asian country's King Norodom Sihamoni.

King Norodom Sihamoni welcomed the Francophone community to Phnom Penh, noting that the gathering had returned to the Asia-Pacific region nearly 30 years after the seventh Francophonie Summit was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1997.

He also describes the hosting opportunity as a tribute to his father, who worked alongside Léopold Sédar Senghor of Senegal, Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia and Hamani Diori of Niger in establishing the Francophonie.

In his address to the summit, the King called on leaders to turn their commitments into concrete action, warning that armed conflicts, climate change and divisions continue to threaten global peace and stability.

"Cities are being destroyed, families are being forced to leave their homes, and children are bearing the consequences,” he said.

The opening ceremony also marked the transfer of the summit presidency from France to Cambodia.

The King called on member countries to translate their political commitments into concrete action, particularly in promoting dialogue, cooperation and peace. The summit is held under the theme "Reinvesting in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Lasting Stability.”

"For us, reinvesting in peace means giving future generations what our people have been deprived of for so long,” he said. "We wish to pass on a lasting peace to future generations.”

His remarks reflected Cambodia’s own experience of conflict and its efforts to build lasting stability.

The opening ceremony was followed by an official dinner hosted for heads of state and government attending the summit.

The two-day gathering brought together leaders from the 90 countries to discuss peace, international cooperation and sustainable development. The OIF has 90 member states and governments, comprising 53 full members, five associate members and 32 observers.