Louise Mushikiwabo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louise Mushikiwabo
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Mushikiwabo in 2008
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| 4th Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie | |
| Assumed office 3 January 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Michaëlle Jean |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 4 December 2009 – 18 October 2018 |
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| President | Paul Kagame |
| Preceded by | Rosemary Museminali |
| Succeeded by | Richard Sezibera |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 May 1961 Kigali, Ruanda-Urundi |
| Political party | Independent |
| Education | University of Rwanda (BA) University of Delaware (MA) |
Louise Mushikiwabo (born May 22, 1961) is a very important leader from Rwanda. She is currently the Secretary General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). This organization connects countries and people who speak French. Before this, she was Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation from 2009 to 2018. She also worked as the government's spokesperson and was previously the Minister of Information.
On October 12, 2018, she was chosen for a four-year term as the Secretary General of the OIF. This happened at a big meeting called the Summit of Francophonie in Yerevan, Armenia. She was chosen again for the same job in November 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Louise Mushikiwabo was born on May 22, 1961, in Kigali, which is the capital city of Rwanda. Her father, Bitsindinkumi, was a farmer who managed his family's small farm. He also worked as a bookkeeper for a large coffee farm during the time Rwanda was a colony. Her mother, Nyiratulira, was a relative of Alexis Kagame, a famous Rwandan thinker and historian.
Louise was the youngest of nine children. Her brother, Lando Ndasingwa, became a well-known businessman and politician in Rwanda. Sadly, he was killed in 1994 during the Rwandan genocide. Her sister, Anne-Marie Kantengwa, later took over Lando's hotel, Chez Lando. Anne-Marie also served in the Parliament of Rwanda from 2003 to 2008.
After finishing primary and secondary school in Kigali, Mushikiwabo went to the National University of Rwanda (now called the University of Rwanda) in 1981. She graduated in 1984 with a degree in English. For a short time, she worked as a secondary school teacher.
In 1986, she moved from Rwanda to the United States. There, she studied for a master's degree in Languages and Interpretation at the University of Delaware. Her special language was French. After finishing her studies in 1988, she stayed in the United States, living near Washington, D.C..
She started her career working for groups that try to influence government decisions, known as lobbying organizations. Later, she joined the African Development Bank (ADB). As part of her job with the ADB, she lived in Tunisia for a short time. She eventually became the bank's Communications Director, managing how the bank shared information.
In 2006, Mushikiwabo wrote a book called Rwanda Means the Universe. She wrote it with Jack Kramer, an American journalist. The book tells parts of Mushikiwabo's life story, including her family history and growing up in Rwanda. It also shares her experiences after moving to the United States. The book talks about the Rwandan genocide and how she learned that many of her family members had been killed while she was living in Washington.
Political Career
Minister of Information, 2008–2009
In March 2008, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, asked Mushikiwabo to come back to Rwanda. He offered her a job in his government. She was made the Minister of Information, taking over from Laurent Nkusi.
Early in her time as Minister, Mushikiwabo had to decide what to do about some local news groups. These groups had published stories that were very critical of President Kagame. One newspaper had even compared the president to Adolf Hitler. The High Council of the Press (HCP) had asked the government to stop the newspaper from printing. While Mushikiwabo did not officially stop the paper, it stopped printing on its own in October 2008.
Mushikiwabo generally supported the idea of freedom of the press. However, she also made sure that the media followed Rwanda's strict laws about denying the Rwandan genocide. In 2009, she temporarily stopped the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) from broadcasting its Kinyarwanda radio station. She said the BBC had aired programs that "gave free scope to genocidaires and negationists of the genocide." The BBC disagreed, saying they had different ways of understanding the genocide.
Besides making decisions for the ministry, Mushikiwabo also acted as the government's spokesperson. For example, when Rwanda had a problem with Germany after President Kagame's chief of protocol, Rose Kabuye, was arrested, Mushikiwabo spoke to international news groups. She explained Rwanda's side of the story. She was able to give statements in all of Rwanda's official languages: Kinyarwanda, French, and English.
Other Activities
- Africa Europe Foundation (AEF), Member of the High-Level Group of Personalities on Africa-Europe Relations (since 2020)
- Munich Security Conference, Member of the Advisory Council
- International Gender Champions (IGC), Member
- Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA), Member of the Strategic Committee
Family Life
Louise Mushikiwabo's brother, Lando Ndasingwa, was the only Tutsi minister in the last government of Juvénal Habyarimana. He was killed at the start of the 1994 genocide. Her sister, Anne-Marie Kantengwa, took over their brother's hotel and restaurant, Chez Lando, after his death. Mushikiwabo is also the niece of the respected Rwandan scholar and priest Alexis Kagame.
See also
- List of foreign ministers in 2017
- Cabinet of Rwanda
