The Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo, will not attend the 9th Francophone Games' opening ceremony in DR Congo, after failing to get an invitation. The games are scheduled to take place from July 28 to August 6. On Monday, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya informed the media that Mushikiwabo would be present at the event. However, a day later, Oria Vande Weghe, spokesperson for the OIF chief, noted that Mushikiwabo had not been invited to the games. Weghe explained that the head of the OIF was expecting an invitation from the Congolese authorities to attend the opening ceremony, but it had not been extended, leading to confusion and prompting her to reconsider her trip. According to Weghe, Mushikiwabo might be represented at the event by the OIF administrator, Caroline St-Hilaire. Traditionally, the host country invites the OIF secretary general to the opening ceremony of the Francophone games. During the Permanent Council of the Francophonie, in June, the DR Congo government announced that an invitation to Mushikiwabo would be delivered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, a week before the event, that arrangement was canceled, adding to the controversy.
