Macron urges unity as Francophonie summit opens in Cambodia

Key Points:

• The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) summit opened in Phnom Penh with French President Emmanuel Macron seeking to prevent a walkout by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over the upcoming election of the group's secretary-general.
• DR Congo opposes the re-election of Rwanda's Louise Mushikiwabo, accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 armed group, and has threatened to leave the OIF if she remains in office; this would be a significant loss given DR Congo's large French-speaking population.
• DR Congo withdrew its candidate and proposed backing former Romanian prime minister Dacian Ciolos as a compromise, but Rwanda insists Mushikiwabo will continue her candidacy, leading to a stalemate.
• Macron emphasized the importance of unity within the Francophonie and reportedly urged both candidates to withdraw, a move criticized as France exerting undue influence over the organization.
• The summit also faces calls from the UN to pressure host Cambodia to release detained activists amid concerns over human rights and political freedoms in the country.