The 2023 Francophonie Games, which took place in Kinshasa, were a landmark event for the DRC. For ten days, thirty-six member states and governments of the International Organization of La Francophonie met to celebrate sport, culture and diversity within the Francophonie.
The impeccable organization of this event was praised by many participants and spectators. Joëlle Luniongo, a student and trainee at National Television, expressed her joy at the organization of the games and the performance of the Congolese athletes. Lydie Fisidi, seamstress, highlights the seriousness put into the organization and the security provided throughout the games. Divin Kabata, oilman, is impressed by the new infrastructures put in place, favoring the adaptation and the training of Congolese sportsmen.
However, not all testimonials are positive. Lauchristian Mukendi underlines the cases of brutality of certain law enforcement officers towards the population during the events. Despite these regrettable incidents, the organization of the games was generally well received and allowed the visibility of Congolese athletes and artists internationally, as Fred Sobolayi explains.
Gemima Nseya, for her part, sees these games as an opportunity to improve the image of the DRC in the world. It emphasizes the importance of properly maintaining the infrastructures built for the event, in order to make them durable and continue to benefit from their advantages.
In the end, the 2023 Francophonie games in Kinshasa were a success in many aspects. They have demonstrated the ability of the DRC to organize major events, and have strengthened cultural, sporting and linguistic ties between French-speaking countries