Congo spent seven-times over budget on Francophone Games

Reuters By Sonia Rolley and Ange Adihe Kasongo Democratic Republic of Congo spent $324 million, or seven times as much as planned, to host the delay-plagued International Francophone Games in July, Finance Minister Nicolas Kazadi said. The Games, which are held every four years with the aim of promoting the French language, were pushed back two years from 2021 to bring infrastructure up to international standards. Even with the extra time, Congo was scrambling to finish tracks, sports stadiums and accommodation for athletes with just weeks to go before the July 28 start date - a rush that Kazadi said contributed to the substantial cost overruns.