France
Dakar opens the Games
On Saturday night, in Diamniadio, Africa opened its first Olympic Games, the Youth Games, 2,700 athletes until 13 November. Two more pieces of news from the continent, one hoped for, one feared.
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The flame arrived on Friday evening at the Place de la Nation in Dakar, in the hand of Omar Sy. French-Senegalese, ambassador of the Games, he did not hide his pride: “It is a very fine window for sport, for Africa, for young people and for Senegal in particular.” On Saturday, at the Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Diamniadio, president Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared open the Youth Olympic Games, the first in Africa, before Kirsty Coventry, the president of the IOC.
2,700 athletes, aged 15 to 17
Until 13 November, 2,700 athletes aged 15 to 17 compete for medals in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. On Sunday, Ecuador’s Elvira Espinosa took the first, in swimming. In the stands, people speak of pride, that of a page the continent had been waiting for since 1896.
The Sahara without blue helmets
The other news comes from Western Sahara. Minurso, created in 1991 for a referendum never held, stopped on Saturday night: Russia blocked, 11 votes to 15, the American text, then Washington blocked the Russian text. The UN is “winding down” its 359 staff. Thirty-five years of ceasefire, and who watches the desert when the blue helmets leave?
Based on France 24, Africa Radio, Olympics.com, ONU and Le Monde