MAPUTO - Authorities are insisting that everything will be ready on time for the start of the All Africa Games in Mozambique, despite unfinished construction plaguing preparations for the event.
More than 5000 athletes will compete in 24 sports between September 3 and 18, but while neither the programme nor the list of participants has been finalised, many of Africa's top athletes are expected to be absent when the starting pistol is fired.
Mozambique inaugurated the new Zimpeto national stadium in April, but authorities are racing against the clock to complete the 848-apartment Games village where athletes and coaches will be housed. Work still has to be completed on the other 16 venues for an event awarded to Mozambique two years ago after original hosts Zambia withdrew for financial reasons.
"On average the completion rate of the projects we are working on is 85 to 90percent," said Salomone Cossa, director-general of Games organising committee Coja. All 27 village apartment blocks will be handed over to Coja by Saturday, Cossa told AFP.
"At the moment four blocks have furniture. They already have everything necessary for the athletes to be housed in liveable facilities."
With financial backing from China, the southeast African nation has built the $70million (R498milion) national stadium and a new international airport for $75million. Logistics are another point of concern, with constant congestion on the highway that links the Zimpeto stadium and the Olympic village to central Maputo, 13km away.
Coja will dedicate one traffic lane to accredited vehicles to ensure fast movement. A fleet of 200 buses and cars will shuttle athletes and journalists between locations. Participating countries have been dragging their feet when it comes to confirming athlete numbers, further complicating logistics and accreditation, said Cossa.
Meanwhile, the host city is slowly warming to the event amid a general lack of marketing.
Local newspapers and television stations have belatedly started publishing information about the Games. Mascot Cojito, a friendly yellow chick, is a rare sight on Maputo streets.
All Africa Games update
MAPUTO - Authorities are insisting that everything will be ready on time for the start of the All Africa Games in Mozambique, despite unfinished construction plaguing preparations for the event.
More than 5000 athletes will compete in 24 sports between September 3 and 18, but while neither the programme nor the list of participants has been finalised, many of Africa's top athletes are expected to be absent when the starting pistol is fired.
Mozambique inaugurated the new Zimpeto national stadium in April, but authorities are racing against the clock to complete the 848-apartment Games village where athletes and coaches will be housed. Work still has to be completed on the other 16 venues for an event awarded to Mozambique two years ago after original hosts Zambia withdrew for financial reasons.
"On average the completion rate of the projects we are working on is 85 to 90percent," said Salomone Cossa, director-general of Games organising committee Coja. All 27 village apartment blocks will be handed over to Coja by Saturday, Cossa told AFP.
"At the moment four blocks have furniture. They already have everything necessary for the athletes to be housed in liveable facilities."
With financial backing from China, the southeast African nation has built the $70million (R498milion) national stadium and a new international airport for $75million. Logistics are another point of concern, with constant congestion on the highway that links the Zimpeto stadium and the Olympic village to central Maputo, 13km away.
Coja will dedicate one traffic lane to accredited vehicles to ensure fast movement. A fleet of 200 buses and cars will shuttle athletes and journalists between locations. Participating countries have been dragging their feet when it comes to confirming athlete numbers, further complicating logistics and accreditation, said Cossa.
Meanwhile, the host city is slowly warming to the event amid a general lack of marketing.
Local newspapers and television stations have belatedly started publishing information about the Games. Mascot Cojito, a friendly yellow chick, is a rare sight on Maputo streets.
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