Seven months before the 2026 Francophonie Summit, scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the battle for the leadership of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) has entered its most political phase. Officially, the candidacies were closed on May 15. Now, the games of influence are truly beginning. Three women dominate diplomatic conversations: Louise Mushikiwabo, current Secretary General of the OIF, candidate for a third term supported by Kigali; Juliana Lumumba, personally supported by President Félix Tshisekedi; and Dr Coumba Ba, supported by Nouakchott as an alternative compromise between the two major African blocs. The following profile focuses on the Mauritanian candidate Dr Coumba Ba and will be followed in our next editions by those of the other candidates.
Dr Coumba Ba: “Courageous reforms to restore the Francophonie to the prominence it deserves”
Officially invested in April 2026, candidate for the position of Secretary General of La Francophonie, Dr Coumba Ba benefits from the personal support of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. According to several diplomatic sources, the candidacy of the presidential adviser was discussed during a dinner between Ghazouani and Emmanuel Macron in Paris last April, then in Brazzaville with Denis Sassou Nguesso and in Malabo with Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
Dr Coumba has long held the strong ambition to lead the General Secretariat of the International Organization of La Francophonie. And she has many assets to achieve this. This desire was notably reflected in the appointment in 2024 of Dr Coumba Ba as Special Envoy of Mauritania for La Francophonie.
Carefully considered candidacy
Nouakchott defends a clear line: to succeed in rallying all French-speaking countries around its candidacy, including those presenting candidates. This is how Dr Ba has made visits to Central Africa, the region of origin of the other two African candidates.
An obvious way to show that the Mauritanian candidacy is not a reaction or opposition to the others. It is a carefully considered candidacy, supported by a personality recognized for her skills and extensive knowledge of international issues.
In her statement of intent, the candidate aims to bring about courageous reforms to restore the Francophonie to the prominence it deserves in the current international context. A Francophonie more useful to its member states, more peaceful, more humane, and more consensual.
“A Francophonie of trust, balance, and utility,” she now summarizes in her statements. A phrase that also reflects the Mauritanian doctrine of “positive neutrality.” In this spirit, Mauritanian President Mohamed Cheikh Ghazouani has met with his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisékedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Restoring trust in the OIF
Dr Coumba Ba’s candidacy for the position of Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie aims to restore trust in the institution, through a diplomacy of listening and preserving balances.
Dr Coumba Ba is currently preparing for her hearing on June 30 with a tight presidential team. Those who know her recall that she has been involved in Francophone networks for over a decade and carries a reformist vision of the organization: a more open Francophonie, more focused on multilingualism, mediation, and cultural cooperation.
The Mauritanian candidacy is also seen as an attempt to reposition the French-speaking Arab world and West Africa in the internal balances of the OIF. Former Mauritanian Minister Sid Ahmed Ould Bouh speaks of a “legitimate ambition,” reflecting, according to him, Nouakchott’s new international stature.
The International Organization of La Francophonie is at a pivotal stage. Faced with geopolitical changes, it must assert its relevance and carry its vision through an experienced personality.
Born on February 28, 1970, Dr Coumba has held several key ministerial positions: Public Service, Labor and Modernization of Administration, Youth and Sports.
This experience in the executive branch gives her a concrete understanding of administrative challenges, youth employability, and state reform.
A diplomacy that builds bridges, not fractures
Dr Coumba Ba has several strengths. A polyglot, she fluently speaks five languages spoken on five continents: French, English, Arabic, Fulani, Wolof. A woman of action and principles, she embodies a real Francophonie: plural, mixed, at the crossroads of the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa.
Internationally, she has established herself as a discreet but effective negotiator. She has led high-level delegations and represented Mauritania’s voice in sensitive contexts with African heads of state. This practice of mediation gives her immediate credibility in multilateral forums, where the OIF must now unite rather than divide.
Coming from a founding country of La Francophonie, at the crossroads of the Arab and sub-Saharan African regions, she advocates for moderation and convergence. In a context where the South demands more weight in multilateral governance, her candidacy rebalances the Francophone narrative without breaking with its heritage.
Her long journey alongside five successive presidents and her current role as Special Envoy to the OIF give her direct access to African capitals and technical and financial partners. The OIF needs this mobilization capacity to revitalize its flagship projects in health, education, creative economy, and digital technology.
