Tunis/Tunisia — The meetings of the Organising Committee of the African Beach Games (JAP) with the leaders of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the representatives of the delegations participating in the Hammamet 2023 Games, kicked off on Wednesday in Hammamet.
The opening session of the said meetings was attended by Minister of Youth and Sports Kamel Déguiche, Governor of Nabeul Sabeh Mallak, ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf of Algeria and CNOT President Mehrez Boussayène as well as representatives of African National Olympic Committees and concerned African confederations.
In a statement to TAP in the margins of the event, Kamel Déguiche considered that the upcoming JAP have a dimension that goes beyond the simple vocation of sports.
"The event testifies to the fact that Tunisia remains at the heart of Africa by gathering about 47 African countries which is a record number," he underlined.
Regarding the purely sporting aspect, the minister pointed out that Tunisia is now focusing on the promotion of beach sports, especially since the climate and natural environment, notably a coastline of just over a thousand kilometres, are ideal for them.
The aim, he added, is to showcase the tourist and cultural dimensions of the Hammamet Games by promoting both sports and cultural tourism.
Déguiche said that Tunisia has not organised such a big multidisciplinary sports event for about ten years, which gives the JAP a major importance and encourages us to guarantee all the conditions and the support required for their success, at the highest State level.
Mustapha Berraf stated for his part, that he was satisfied with the progress of the preparations for the games thanks to the involvement of all stakeholders.
The Hammamet JAP will be a gathering event, first of all, for the African nations, and an opportunity for the revival of the tourist activity in Tunisia.
"This land of hospitality, sharing and dignity is today reviving its African identity, but is also rediscovering its vocation as a country that brings people together to defend universal values and Olympism," he underlined.
COJAP and CNOT President Merhez Bousayène explained that the challenge is such that with so few means, it is necessary to succeed in organising a real sports and cultural festival.
To do so, he added, the organising committee is working tirelessly to guarantee the success of the games and to make the city of Hammamet an "African Olympic garden" where the opportunity will be given to the various African NOCs to celebrate together the World Olympic Day in parallel with the opening ceremony of the JAP.
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The African Beach Games of Hammamet 2023 (23-30 June) will involve more than 47 African countries, 15 sports, 1,400 accredited participants, 500 volunteers, 5,000 spectators per day and some 800 competing athletes.
At the same time, a large-scale sports, cultural and recreational programme will be organised to complement this continental sporting event, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.
Besides, for the sake of the environment, COJAM has chosen to make this a "green" event, without gas emissions by encouraging traditional transport by means of horse-drawn carriages present on site and without plastic.
