AMCI Hosts Second “Sport, Football and African Integration” Conference at AFCON 2025 Fan Zone

The Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI) on Wednesday organised the second conference themed “Sport, Football and African Integration” as part of activities at the AMCI Fan Zone for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.

Held under the “Inspire & Debate” conference series, the event was designed for international students and graduates in Morocco and reflects the Kingdom’s continued commitment—under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI—to supporting African youth and strengthening continental integration.

The conference took place at the International University City of Rabat and attracted over 250 participants, including African ambassadors accredited to Morocco, senior institutional officials, private sector stakeholders and a large number of international students.

High-Level Participation

The opening session was chaired by Mohamed Methqal, Ambassador and Director General of AMCI, and featured contributions from several high-profile speakers, including:

Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills

Abdelmalek Alaoui, Economist and Founder & CEO of GUEPARD Group

Cedrick Esteban Aghey, Director of Legal Affairs and Compliance, CAF

Franciny Samba, Head of the FIFA Regional Office

William Mbiakop, Founder of the African Sports & Creative Institute (ASCI)

Umubyeyi Ernestine, a Rwandan student benefiting from Morocco’s academic cooperation programme and participant in the women’s sporting raid Sahraouiya in Dakhla

Sport as a Tool for African Integration

Discussions during the conference emphasised the strategic role of sport—particularly football—as a catalyst for African integration, people-to-people engagement and the promotion of solidarity, inclusion and South–South cooperation.

Speakers also highlighted the importance of public policies, institutional collaboration and youth-focused investment in transforming sport into a sustainable driver of development and continental cohesion.

Youth Engagement and Dialogue

The event featured interactive exchanges between students and panelists on key issues such as:

Youth employability through sports-related professions

Training and mobility opportunities across Africa

Sport’s role in social inclusion and cohesion

Prospects for regional sports cooperation and partnerships

Looking Ahead

Through the Inspire & Debate series, AMCI reaffirmed its commitment to active, solidarity-based South–South cooperation, placing youth empowerment, dialogue and experience-sharing at the centre of its mission, in line with Morocco’s Royal Vision for an emerging and sustainable Africa.

Two additional conferences are scheduled as part of the series:

Monday, January 12 (6:00 p.m.) – “Innovation, Digital Transformation and the Future of African Sport”

Friday, January 16 (6:00 p.m.) – “Morocco 2030: An African Ambition”