African countries have been urged by the African Union (AU) Sports Council to be deliberate and systematic in investing in sports for sustainable growth and development.
The call was made on the sidelines of the 13th edition of the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
It comes as the host nation is reported to have invested in excess of $250 million on the multi-sport event.
The games features more than 5,000 athletes and officials from across the continent competing in 29 disciplines.
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The African Games is exclusively owned by the African Union and organised on behalf of its member states every four years and one year before the Olympics.
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The games have proven to be an ideal platform for showcasing home-grown talent, celebrating local cultural values, promoting integration and necessitating sustainable economic growth and development.
Addressing AU Media Fellows at the Ghana University Stadium— where most of the games are played—AU Sports Council Coordinator Decius Chipande said African countries should use sports as a platform for promotion of quality life for its people and development.
His call also comes as the continent is home of the world’s youngest population and needs to harness opportunities accorded by the world’s sports market towards the realisation of the aspirations highlighted in the continent’s #Agenda2063.
Available data shows that over the next three to five years, [the share of] Africa on the global sports market space is projected to grow at a rate of eight percent.
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“The goal is also to improve the quality of the games, broadly, in making sure that they always meet the international standards,” Chipande
He said investing in sports infrastructure and capacitating athletes’ capacity augers with aspirations embedded in the Agenda 2063.
According to Chipande, both the government and private sector players are duty bound to hearken to the call to create revenue opportunities for athletes and their economies.
“Investing in the games entails improving sports infrastructure, among other things, which in the long –term contributes towards quality sports development in the countries,” he said.
In an earlier interview, Malawi’s Chief Sports Officer at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Joseph Mazaza said already, the country was positioning itself to increase spending towards sports while working with corporate entities towards enhancing investment in the various disciplines.
