Botswana’s Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Tsekedi Khama has encouraged the region to be innovative and creative in developing strategies that assist countries in hosting major events.
Khama urged member states to deliver more medals at international competitions as the region thrives to become Africa’s leading sport region through innovation and excellence.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the AUSC Region 5 Confederations Forum at Tlotlo Hotel in Gaborone on Wednesday, Khama encouraged confederations to fully utilise the opportunities provided by the Region 5 Youth Games to stimulate sports development and growth.
The Confederations Forum meets every four years and is a platform for all recognised Confederations by Region 5 to get together to discuss common challenges that affect sports as well as share best practices in sports management.
“The clock is fast counting down on the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled for Tokyo, Japan. Confederations are encouraged to heighten attention in working with Member Countries towards the Podium Performance Programme for attainment of the collective Regional targets of High Performance,” said Khama who was the guest of honour at Wednesday’s opening ceremony.
“The Podium Performance Programme (PPP) signed off by Council of Ministers in December 2013 is meant to drive the Region focuses towards enhanced High Performance by our athletes and coaches at major international competitions in the medium to long term.”
He continued: “Regrettably, some countries have not yet fully subscribed to the programme thereby retarding the intended benefits of the programme. As Ministers, we will be eagerly awaiting your meeting outcomes and recommendations on this and other pertinent sports related matters for the purpose of making firm decisions and policy positions.”
Khama challenged the Confederations to align their strategic plans to that of the Region’s Strategic Plan 2018-2028 in order to benefit for the Region’s membership benefits programme.
He also congratulated Lesotho for starting well in advance for the preparations of the Region 5 Youth Games in 2020. .
AUSC Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya weighed in saying the Regional Confederations Forum is an important gathering for Regional Sports Confederations.
“This platform forms part of our constitutional mandate as the Region’s secretariat to provide an opportunity to our affiliates Confederation comply with corporate governance and to assist newly formed confederations to align with the region’s strategic objectives. The forum will also be a platform to provide knowledge resource,” he said
The AUSC Region 5 Confederations Forum is currently underway at Tlotlo Hotel and Conference in Gaborone, Botswana, started on July 10 to Friday July 12
Seventeen Confederations affiliated with AUSC Region 5 are represented.These are Football (COSAFA) Swimming (CANA ZONE IV) Athletics, Basketball (FIBA) Cricket, Rugby Africa, Volleyball, Netball, Judo, Gymnastics, Tennis, Karate, Teakwood and Handball.