Abuja - Nigeria — The ECOWAS Commission wishes to commend the National Football team of Cote d'Ivoire for putting up a gallant performance at the finals of the African Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon on Sunday 12th February 2012.
The Commission notes that although the Elephants did not win the coveted Cup, they have done the Region proud by winning the tournament's Fair Play trophy in addition to clinching the runner-up medal, after a pulsating grand finale against the Chipolopolo of Zambia that ended in a penalty shootout.
On the whole, the Commission is proud of the seven teams that represented the Region at the 16-nation continental tournament, three of which (Ghana, Mali and Cote d'Ivoire), reached the semi-final stage. As always, the performance of the ECOWAS Teams brought joy and pride to millions of Community citizens and once more confirmed the status of the Region as the powerhouse of African football.
The Commission would like, at the same time, to wish the Region's representatives at the tournament more successes in subsequent Africa Nations Cup tournaments, especially the next Edition taking place in South Africa in 2013 and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.