Kinshasa press review of Thursday July 27, 2023
The newspapers published this Thursday in Kinshasa are largely focused on the 9th Games of La Francophonie, which will begin this Friday in the Congolese capital.
The daily newspaper L’Avenir headlines on its front page: “IX Games of La Francophonie in Kinshasa: We don’t invite the organizer”. The article points out that Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), could not disassociate herself from the aggressive actions of her country of origin, Rwanda, towards the DRC, host country of the Games. . According to the newspaper, this absence of the patron saint of La Francophonie is indicative of the fact that a single person can take an international organization hostage. Despite the precautions taken by the Congolese authorities, public opinion is not surprised to see that Mushikiwabo attends the Games from France, being unable to condemn his country of origin which violates the rules of La Francophonie.
La Tempête des tropiques announces the arrival of the French Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, in Kinshasa for the Games of La Francophonie. According to a press release from the ministry, the Minister will support the Games as a space for solidarity and expression for young Francophones around the world. She will also meet Congolese personalities and support French athletes and artists in the competition.
La Prospérité indicates that Kinshasa is ready for the launch of the IX Games of La Francophonie. Final adjustments are underway in preparation for the opening ceremony scheduled for Friday. The Congolese government spokesperson underlines that these Games are important for the DRC, because they allow to show the true face of the country, that of a resilient people who strive to build a better future. He also recalls that the DRC has a remarkable sporting history, in particular with the legendary boxing fight between Georges Foreman and Mohamed Ali in 1974 in Kinshasa.
In summary, the Kinshasa newspapers focus on the preparations for the IX Games of La Francophonie in Kinshasa. Despite the absence of OIF Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo, other leading figures, such as the French Minister of Sports, support and participate in the event