THE ABIDJAN PORT AUTHORITY (PAA) AND THE IVORIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION (FIF) CONCRETIZE THEIR PARTNERSHIP

Autres Wednesday 05 April 2023

With a view to supporting the development and promotion of Ivorian football, assisting the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) in the organization of the African Cup of Nations 2023, which will take place in our country in January 2024, and boosting the national team, "the Elephants", to the final victory, a sponsorship contract has been signed between the Abidjan Port Authority (PAA) and the FIF.

The signing ceremony of this partnership agreement took place on 15 February 2023, in the premises of the Top Management of PAA. For the occasion, both parties were represented, for the PAA entity, by its Managing Director, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ and that of the FIF, by its President, Mr. Yacine Idriss DIALLO.

Before the signature and the exchange of initials between the two personalities, the Managing Director of PAA expressed his satisfaction with the concretization of this partnership which has existed since 2012 between the PAA and the FIF, he recalled. He said that the PAA, as a corporate citizen, has a duty to support the efforts of the government which has put enormous resources into the realization of sports infrastructure in Côte d'Ivoire and for the organization of the CAN 2023.

The PAA's support is reflected in its backing of the FIF which plays a leading role in the success of this continental football event. According to him, this is done to support the national team for a better preparation in order to win the African Cup of Nations at the end of this CAN 2023.

He said that this year's contract is a bit special in view of the organization of the CAN 2023 in our country. It will extend over two (2) years. But this is a particularity, in so far as PAA accompanies FIF every year.

The President of FIF, Mr. Idriss DIALLO thanked and confirmed the support of the PAA to Ivorian football through its long-standing support to the FIF, which continues in the good and even bad times that this sport has experienced in our country.

He said that beyond supporting the Elephants, FIF is involved in major causes such as the protection of youth, because football is about youth. Thus, FIF is fighting against illegal immigration, a scourge that is decimating African youth and which is no exception for that of Côte d'Ivoire

For this, his institution which intends to follow the decision of the Ivorian President who has declared 2023 as the "Year of Youth", has decided to keep young people in their regions through the launch of a youth championship in the regions, departments and communes to allow them to express themselves in a healthy and serene way while remaining at home.

With regard to the African Cup of Nations 2023, he said the government has released a billion dollars for the construction of stadiums in the major regions and that these works are being closely monitored by a team from the Prime Minister's Office. He also informed that the African football body is currently touring our country and that it will soon tell us whether or not to hold the CAN 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire.