SHENZHEN – The Federation of University Sports in Africa (FASU) has launched a one-year strategic plan after their extra ordinary meeting yesterday at the ongoing 26th Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China.
According to FASU’s secretary general, Peninah Kabenge, the program launch is aimed at involving all the 53 African countries in a bid to promote a platform for cooperation, mutual friendship brotherhood and peace through competition.
FASU currently has only 26 countries as member federations, however, the new plan includes an immediate call for the other countries to embrace this opportunity with a deadline of September 2012. “One of our biggest problems is communication because most African countries are either Anglo-phone or Franco-phone so we have decided first as executive members that we shall be able to speak both English and French by September next year,” said an emphatic Kabenge.
Most of the member countries hail from West Africa, i.e. Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and East Africa which has Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania among others. The Arab world has only Egypt and Algeria as member federations. Kabenge further added that, “We really want to encourage North African countries like Morocco, Tunisia, Central Africa Republic and Congo Brazaville to join FASU.”
FASU President, South Africa’s Ralethe Malumbethe confirmed that the there was need for positive change and that FASU was also looking at Africa’s biggest shortcoming at university level – financial constraints.
(Source: Usher Komugisha, FISU-AIPS Young Reporter/Uganda)
