China seeks stronger ties with Africa through sports

In a bid to continue its promotion of trade and economic cooperation across the African continent, the organizers of the China Africa Youth friendly football tournament is set to hold the third edition of the China-Africa Youth Football (CAYF) tournament between June and July 2023.

The Asian giants over the years, identified sports, particularly football, as a tool of friendship to strengthen cultural, business and social exchanges, while at the same time, facilitating and promoting the development of youth football between participating countries.

It will be noted that the first edition was held alongside the first China-Africa Trade Expo (CAETE) in 2019 in China with teams from four African countries of Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya, as well as four teams from the host country, China (from Hunan, Shanghai, Guangdong and Shandong provinces).

The second edition was scheduled to be hosted in Nigeria, Africa, in 2020, and had already received the support of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all plans were halted.        

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The China-Africa Youth Football (CAYF) (friendly) tournament remains a platform to provide opportunities for host countries to show case their culture and tourism potentials, businesses, services and products to other participating countries.

“The co-founder of the CAYF tournament and President of the African Organizing Committee (AOC), Mr. Ikwunagu A. Sunny, has maintained contact with the participants from the last edition and continues to support their local activities.

“The tournament contributes to the local economy of host countries through necessary associated ancillary services such as transport, accommodation, food, etc, in addition to being a platform for recruitment of local talent” the planning coordinator of the AOC, Dr Ogwu Ikechukwu said in a statement made available to Daily Trust.