Benin and FIFA continue to work together on FIFA’s Football for Schools initiative, which promotes safe and healthy lifestyles for young people.
FIFA (www.FIFA.com) President Gianni Infantino has met with
the President of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, the Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Sports, Oswald Homeky, and the President of the Beninese Football
Association (FEBEFOOT President), Mathurin de Chacus, to discuss the ongoing
development of football in the country, together with the challenges that face
African football going forward.
The meetings, held in Cotonou, took place exactly five years
after Gianni Infantino won the elections for the FIFA Presidency in 2016.
“The football passion here in Benin is incredible and the
love for our game is heartwarming and inspirational,” the FIFA President said.
“I want to commend President Talon for the investment his government has made
for football, and the good work carried on by FEBEFOOT in nurturing football
talent to improve skills and develop the game throughout this great nation. We
need countries who can be models for others to follow both in the region and in
the world, and Benin can very well be one of those models. We look forward to
working even more closely with the government and FEBEFOOT to elevate football
in Benin to the highest levels.”
The importance of promotion of sports and football in
particular, through schools, a common theme throughout the FIFA President’s
tour of Africa was one of the key topics in the discussions with the
authorities. Among other projects, Benin and FIFA continue to work together on
FIFA’s Football for Schools initiative, which promotes safe and healthy
lifestyles for young people and teaches them life skills through football, and
the Pan-African football tournament for schools was also discussed.
“We thank FIFA and FIFA President Infantino for returning to
Benin, as it was here, two years ago that the signature of the first-ever
memorandum of understanding on FIFA’s Football for Schools initiative took
place,” said FEBEFOOT President Mathurin de Chacus. “Since Gianni Infantino was
elected as FIFA President, he has shown a strong commitment in supporting
African football with several initiatives. I commend the FIFA President for all
he has done in the past five years to support football in Benin, in Africa, and
worldwide.”
In addition, the Benin government and FEBEFOOT reiterated
their commitment to develop various projects as a result of funding from FIFA’s
Forward programme, including a Football Centre of Excellence in N'Dali, a city
located in the northern part of the country.
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