The IX Games of La Francophonie closed this Sunday, August 6 at the Stade des Martyrs in the city of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chaired by the Congolese Head of State, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, the closing ceremony marked the end of ten days of intense sporting and cultural activities which excited both the Congolese population and the foreign participants.
President Tshisekedi described these Francophonie Games as a historic event, stressing that they strengthened the DRC’s membership in the Francophonie and contributed to promoting its cultural diversity throughout the world. He also promised to use the infrastructure built for the games to boost sport, culture and education in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For his part, the Minister of Sports, Claude-François Kabulo Mwana Kabulo, expressed his satisfaction with the accomplishment of the mission entrusted to the DRC. According to him, Congolese youth lived up to expectations and the games were a real success, generating great enthusiasm from the Kinshasa population.
However, the popularity of the Games also led to a massive influx of spectators at the Martyrs Stadium and the People’s Palace during the closing ceremony and the concert organized by the committee. Faced with this influx, the National Committee for the Games of La Francophonie called on people interested to follow the events on television rather than traveling physically, for security reasons.
At the end of these 9th Francophonie Games, the DRC ranked 9th in the medal rankings, winning a total of 34 medals, including 5 gold, 11 silver and 18 bronze.
In conclusion, the 9th Games of La Francophonie were a success for the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was able to organize this international event brilliantly. These games not only galvanized the Congolese population, but also strengthened the influence of the DRC within the Francophonie. The infrastructure built for the occasion will make it possible to further develop sport, culture and education in the country, thus offering new opportunities to Congolese youth.