The plan is anchored on the broader framework of the Africa Union (AU) Agenda 2063. Africa Union Sport Council (AUSC) coordinator, Dr Decius Chipande, who is based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, told MmegiSport that they were in Gaborone to validate the AUSC five-year draft strategic plan. He said the strategic plan is aimed at achieving the AU Agenda 2063 aspirations as well as delivering the development of quality sport on the continent. “We want the sport to have a defined role on how it will contribute towards the Africa we want. Above all we want to develop quality sport on the continent,” he said. He added the objective was to draft a comprehensive strategic plan running from 2024 up to 2028 to guide the work of AUSC and promote a more systematic and comprehensive approach to the long-term planning of African sport and planning.
Chipande said the draft strategic plan that was adopted in Gaborone would be adopted during the 2025 ministers’ meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He said there are some African countries without sport policies or sport act. Chipande said the other priority area within the plan is delivering safe, inclusive, and accessible sport and recreation that advances equity and inclusion in Africa. “Sport is now scientific, we cannot continue coaching and developing the traditional way. We need to catch up, we need to refine our methodology, sport science and improve incentives for athletes and other stakeholders involved in sport,” he said. Sport across the continent is faced with challenges such as doping, funding, and gender-based violence, amongst others. Reacting to the challenges, Chipande said since sport is part of society, it reflects what is happening within communities. “That is why it is important to take a comprehensive approach and a cross-sectoral approach to address some of the challenges. We were in Gaborone to look at strategies, encourage the development of policies that address those elements, ensure that those policies are operational,” he said.
