This Wednesday’s dailies deal with the death of former Ivory Coast President Henri Konan Bédié, the repatriation of French nationals to Niger and the games of La Francophonie Kinshasa 2023.
The daily Today in Faso title on its front page: “9th Games of the Francophonie-athletics: Moné in gold, Sibiri in silver, Marthe in tears”.
On the same subject, the public daily Sidwaya reports that the Burkinabè delegation in athletics experienced a contrasting day on August 1 at the 9th Games of La Francophonie.
The euphoria of Rahinatou Moné’s great victory in the 100m (handisport) at the end of the morning gave way to great disappointment in the afternoon with the disqualification of Marthe Koala in the 100m hurdles.
According to the same daily, Sita Sibiri somewhat mitigated the disappointment with a 2nd place in the women’s 400m.
Sidwaya adds that Marthe Koala who was on the starting line for the women’s 100m hurdles final was disqualified for a false start after leaving before the starter shot.
From another angle, the newspaper Le Quotidien writes: “Coup d’Etat in Niger: France evacuates its nationals”.
By the way, the private daily newspaper Le Pays publishes: “Evacuations of French nationals from Niger: Beyond security issues”.
The newspaper informs that a week after the coup d’etat which overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger, diplomacy is activated.
Depending on the country, France is preparing the evacuation of its nationals residing in this country.
The operation which was scheduled to start yesterday August 01, 2023 , aims to ensure their safety, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In another section, Sidwaya headlines: “Ivory Coast: The Sphinx of Daoukro has bowed out”.
The newspaper informs that a page of the Ivorian political history closes with the disappearance yesterday August 1st in the evening of the former president Henri Konan Bédié at the age of 89 years.
According to Sidwaya, President Bédié came to power on December 7, 1993, succeeding the first Ivorian president Félix Houphouët-Boigny. He ruled Côte d’Ivoire until December 24, 1999, when he was overthrown by General Robert Guéï’s coup.
The same daily adds that the president of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI-RDA), since 1993, Henri Konan Bédié then took part in the presidential election in 2010 won by Alassane Ouattara, whom he joined in the second round and will form an alliance with him within the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) until 2018.
Source: Burkina Information Agency