Gaborone — As Botswana prepares to host the 30th TAFISA World Congress in 2027, the Ministry of Sports And Arts is working to establish a satellite account to assist in measuring the economic impact of sporting events.
TAFISA vice president for Africa, Boineelo Hardy said the proposed account would help capture data more accurately and demonstrate the impact of hosting major sporting events, including their value to investors and development partners.
Hardy said reliable data would help show the benefits of such events and strengthen the case for investment in sport.
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The issue emerged during a discussion on corporate investment in sport, on Monday in Gaborone where participants called for partnerships that extended beyond sponsorship of the congress to initiatives with lasting benefits for communities.
Keamogetse Sampson from Debswana said the legacy of the congress should be defined from the beginning, allowing corporate partners to identify how their investments could contribute to shared development goals.
She said businesses needed to understand the connection between their objectives and the broader benefits of sport, including improved health, social inclusion and youth development.
The discussion also highlighted the role of corporate partnerships in supporting the country's development priorities, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Botswana's national development aspirations.
Their view was that the congress should be viewed as a 'start line' not a 'finish line,' emphasising the need for sustained efforts to increase participation in sport beyond the event.
Participants stressed that the congress should serve as a starting point for sustained collaboration between government, the private sector and sports organisations.
The 30th TAFISA World Congress is scheduled for October 18-20, 2027, at the Gaborone International Convention Centre under the theme: Sport for All: Investing in Active Futures".
The gathering is expected to bring together approximately 500 participants from more than 100 countries to discuss ways of expanding access to sport and physical activity.
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