File photo: VCG

RABAT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 12th edition of the African Games opened with a spectacular ceremony on Monday night in the Moroccan capital Rabat.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Prince Moulay Rachid, brother of the Moroccan King with the presence of the African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, and several African ministers of sports.

More than 6,500 athletes from 54 countries and regions take part in the games, competing in 26 sports disciplines, 17 of which are qualifying to the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020.

The 2019 African Games will be, for the first time in African Games history, a qualification step to the Olympic Games.

The African Games, which will be held in the cities of Rabat, Sale, Temara, Casablanca, Benslimane and El Jadida, runs through August 31.

The first African Games was held in 1965 in the Congolese capital of Brazzaville.