N’Djamena, 24 May 2025
A high-level ANOCA delegation led by the Honorable Mustapha BERRAF, ANOCA President and IOC member, was on an official visit to Chad from 23 to 25 May 2025. The visit marked a decisive step in the partnership between African sports governing bodies and Chad.
Landmark inauguration ceremony and two highly symbolic speeches
The highlight of the visit was the commissioning of the new headquarters of NOC Chad (COST) in N’Djamena, in the presence of Chadian authorities, members of the African Olympic Movement and technical partners.
Speaking on the occasion, President BERRAF warmly welcomed the completion of this flagship project, stressing that this headquarters is much more than just a building:
“This moment is not only a key milestone for Chadian sport. It is also a living symbol of an ANOCA-backed continental ambition to provide each African NOC with a worthy, functional and sustainable headquarters, in the service of sport and youth development.”
He further emphasised the strategic importance of this achievement, saying:
“This new headquarters is not a luxury. It is a necessity, a strategic tool for the sustainable development of Chadian sport; a coordination centre for federations; a home for young talents and a lever for innovation.”
President BERRAF also paid tribute to the commitment of Chadian authorities, in particular the continued support of the Government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, saying:
“I hail the commitment of Chadian authorities, in particular the Government and the Sports Ministry, who have understood the importance of this project in projecting the image of the country and its athletes … What we are doing here today in N’Djamena bears witness to an Africa on the move, one that is no longer content with following: it is initiating, planning and transforming.”
In the same spirit, the ANOCA Treasurer General, who also doubles as Coordinator of the NOC Headquarters Construction Project, delivered an inspiring speech, paying tribute to President BERRAF’s vision:
“Recognising that such conditions were undermining the dignity, efficiency, and stability of our Olympic institutions, he (President Berraf) initiated an ambitious and forward-looking project — to support African NOCs in acquiring and constructing their own permanent headquarters. His vision was simple yet transformative: every NOC deserves a home. A home that reflects its stature, fosters professionalism, and secures its future.”
He then highlighted the historic significance of the new building:
“Today is a landmark moment not only for the Chad Olympic and Sports Committee but for the entire African Olympic family. The inauguration of this magnificent edifice is a testimony to what unity of purpose, vision, and determination can achieve. It is the realization of a dream – one where sport is given the infrastructure, dignity, and structure it deserves.”
H.E. President Mahamat Idriss DEBY ITNO honoured for his commitment to youth and sport
During the ceremony, President BERRAF awarded the African Recognition Trophy to His Excellency Marshal Mahamat Idriss DEBY ITNO, President of the Republic of Chad, paying tribute to his visionary leadership and enduring commitment to sports development in Chad. President BERRAF also thanked and congratulated President DEBY ITNO for his commitment to Chadian youth and the Sports Movement.
The Head of State, for his part, reaffirmed his unwavering support for the Olympic and Sports Movement and announced new initiatives to promote youth, sports infrastructure and inclusion through sport, which he sees as a strategic lever for cohesion and transformation. He reiterated his full support for the Olympic Sports Movement and confirmed his commitment to sustain infrastructure construction initiatives to promote sports in Chad and Africa.
Participation in COST General Assembly
On the sidelines of this ceremony, the ANOCA delegation took part in a COST Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly, during which President BERRAF congratulated COST on the quality of its management, its transparency and its ability to mobilise institutional and sports partners. He reiterated ANOCA’s technical, moral and institutional support for COST, urging it to continue working for progress.
President BERRAF reasserted his full support for COST while congratulating the President on his good governance and the construction of a new headquarters. He then said he was proud to see Africa on the move with the election of the 1st female IOC President, who is also African, an Africa with exceptional potential and human values, with talented young people.
The deliberations were opened by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Maïdé HAMIT LONY, who thanked the ANOCA President for heeding the Chadian government’s invitation and gracing the inauguration of the Mandjafa Olympic Stadium. He congratulated the COST President on his unwavering commitment, stressing the importance of working together to implement the national sports development plan.
The Minister hailed the commitment of sports stakeholders in Chad and underscored the importance of a strong and transparent governance framework that will encourage the emergence of sports talents nationally and internationally. He insisted on the key role COST must play to showcase Chadian sport, in keeping with the cherished values of Olympism: excellence, respect and friendship.
The agenda featured the scrutiny and adoption of the 2025 budget, review of COST statutory instruments and presentation the 2024 progress report.
Strategic visit for a sovereign and structured sporting Africa
The official visit to Chad is part of an ambitious Pan-African programme aimed at equipping all the continent’s NOCs with modern infrastructure, tailored to the challenges of governance, training and sports organisation, as President BERRAF pointed out:
“We are convinced that by 2030, almost all 54 African NOCs will have their own premises. It’s a silent but profound revolution in the way we manage sport.”
The visit helped consolidate relations between ANOCA, Chadian authorities and local sports stakeholders while asserting the shared desire to build a stronger, more autonomous African sports ecosystem that is resolutely focused on excellence.
