Assahafa.com
Hosting the Africa Cup of Nations sends a strong message to the international community about Morocco’s ability to stage global events, said Bakary Sambe, President of the African Center for Peace Studies, the Dakar-based “Timbuktu Institute.”
In an analysis entitled “African Morocco: when sport forges the glory of diplomacy and the continent,” published on the center’s website, Sambe stressed that the event goes far beyond the sporting dimension, fitting instead into a comprehensive and structured vision of “African Morocco,” a concept he theorized in his 2024 book (African Morocco: Trajectories of a Continental Ambition).
Hosting the Africa Cup of Nations, he argued, illustrates an “irreversible African choice” under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, noting that this strategic orientation has translated into win-win partnerships, structuring investments and a strengthened Moroccan diplomatic presence across the continent.
The President of the Timbuktu Institute further noted that the modern infrastructure Morocco has developed, particularly stadiums, airports and the high-speed rail network, bears witness to this growing momentum and paves the way for the shared ambition of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Bakary Sambe concluded that “this conscious and fully embraced African identity makes Morocco a key player in the continent’s future, asserting that Africa, as a vision, now lies at the heart of the Moroccan project, underpinned by a strong confidence in the potential of the African people.
Source: map
