The ANOCA EXCO met in an extraordinary session online on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, chaired by the Honourable Mustapha BERRAF. Deliberations focused on three key projects undertaken by ANOCA to promote sport development in Africa: construction of Olympic swimming pools in six African countries, installation of mini-football pitches at OlympAfrica Centres, and implementation, in Hungary, of a training course in diplomacy for senior officials of the African Olympic Movement.
OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS
Under the tripartite agreement signed between ANOCA, the IOC and World Aquatics during the ANOCA General Assembly in Algiers, six African countries – including the NOCs of Lesotho, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Cape Verde and Namibia – are set to receive their first Olympic swimming pools.
The programme – with contributions of US $700,000 from ANOCA and US $1.5 million from the IOC – aims to provide these countries with the infrastructure needed for athletes to train locally. World Aquatics will supply swimming pools, while ANOCA will contribute US$50,000 per site towards structural works, complemented by funding from governments and respective NOCs.
President BERRAF announced a meeting with World Aquatics President, Captain Hussain AL MUSALLAM, to finalise arrangements for funding and implementation, taking into account the specific circumstances of each beneficiary NOC. The case of Sudan is currently under review, which could enable the country, ravaged by armed conflict, to join the programme.
“We have a responsibility to turn our potential into tangible achievements. We have signed agreements — we must now implement them on the ground and give African youths the means to fulfil their ambitions,” said ANOCA President,
Mustapha BERRAF.
MINI-FOOTBALL PITCHES: A HISTORIC FIFA – IOC – OLYMPAFRICA AGREEMENT
The OlympAfrica International Foundation, under the stewardship of President Mustapha BERRAF, is set to sign a groundbreaking agreement with FIFA and the IOC to construct three synthetic mini-football pitches at OlympAfrica Centres in Mozambique, Zambia, and Burkina Faso. This pilot project is part of a broader global commitment to install 1,000 mini-football pitches announced by FIFA President Gianni INFANTINO, on the sidelines of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Each pitch, valued at $60,000, will be funded equally by FIFA and the IOC ($30,000 each), with the OlympAfrica Foundation covering the cost of earthworks. Delivery is expected between August and October, after the World Cup to be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The pilot programme paves the way for extension to the 47 other OlympAfrica Centres across the continent, as partnerships are being finalised with Gerflor and Puma to equip the centres.
PARTNERSHIP with HUNGARY: TRAINING AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AFRICAN SPORT
Under an agreement signed with the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ANOCA will next September organise a training programme in diplomacy at the Diplomatic Academy in Budapest for senior officials of the African Olympic Movement. The session, which will be held in a mixed-format (bringing together English and French speakers) with simultaneous interpretation, seeks to build the capacity of African officials in sports diplomacy.
Furthermore, Hungarian authorities have opened undergraduate and master’s degree scholarships for African athletes, with specific programmes for swimming and judo. Twelve applications have already been submitted for the first cohort.
The meeting concluded in a spirit of commitments and solidarity, with a strong appeal from the ANOCA President to prioritise the collective interest of African sports development. Participants were encouraged to enhance collaboration and align decision-making to drive project success. Partners were lauded for their inputs and commitments, particularly in this specific context, with a shared hope that meaningful solutions would be found for each ongoing initiative. The meeting thus ended on an optimistic note, reaffirming the shared commitment to pursue efforts to promote the African Sports Movement.
