Providing the Ecowas Region With Adequate Instruments for the Promotion And Development of Harmonious Sports

17 May 2010
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Dakar -Senegal — "This policy is a set of coherent measures coupled with diverse, organised and planned activities, both in time and space, for the development of sports and promotion of youths in our Community", the Prime Minister of Senegal made this statement at the opening ceremony of the Conference of ECOWAS Ministers of Youth and Sports.

Maitre Souleymane Ndéné Ndaiye said that the need for our Community to develop a common policy document was based on the important role of the sector of youth and sports in the strategic guidelines defined by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

After expressing satisfaction with hosting of the meeting in Dakar, he stated that the Conference marks significant progress towards consolidating the development process and implementation of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Policy. He urged the Ministers to consider the documents prepared by the Experts and make their own contributions. Maitre Ndiaye reminded the participants that "the various documents you are going to consider and adopt for the promotion of youth and sports, as well as the recommendations relating to their development within the framework of ECOWAS Vision 2020, are highly expected by political decision makers and stakeholders of the sports movement of our Community". Before concluding, he reiterated that sporting activities should not in any case be sources of doping, corruption and violence that are sometimes noted in the stadia, but should rather constitute significant support for social life, personal and collective commitment and development. He expressed satisfaction on the fact that the plan of actions of the ECOWAS Sports Policy is aimed at strongly combating all illegal acts noted in elite sport.

The Commissioner for Human Development and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission said that the adoption of the ECOWAS Sports Policy will enable the region to take total control of the development of sports within the ECOWAS region. According to Dr. Adrienne Diop "adoption of the Policy will provide the region with the required general political framework to turn sports into a key sector of the socio-economic existence of the population and an instrument for human development and regional integration". She recalled the priority aspects relating to the development of sports in West Africa which are: sports for all as inviolable human right, sports for excellence, sports for women as well as sports for development and peace. She also emphasised on such issues as ethics and anti-doping, development and promotion of traditional African sports, sports and people with special needs and sports for integration. "it is natural for an organisation like ECOWAS, armed with the objective of promoting integration and facilitating development for the populations, to promote the practice of sports" she added. Dr. Diop expressed hope that, in collaboration with all Member States, the private sector and development partners, the Commission will turn sport into an instrument for the development of the our youth and countries within the Community. The UNESCO Representative commended ECOWAS' commitment to have a sports policy.

Mr. Marcellin Dally reiterated to the Commission the support of his Institution in the implementation of this Policy. Mr. Patrick Ekeji, Representative of the Nigerian Minister of Sports, informed the participants of the organisation of the First ECOWAS Games scheduled to be held in September 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria. The Conference of ECOWAS Ministers of Youth and Sports aimed at considering and validating the draft ECOWAS Sports Policy and its Strategic Plan of Action. It will also enable the participants to approve the report of the Study on the Database on National Youth Organisations and Sports Federations in the 15 ECOWAS Member States.

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