In a stirring address to the African Olympic and Sports Movement, ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf declared 2026 a historic year for the continent, saying, “2026 is no ordinary year. It is a historic and crucial year that will forever mark the history of the African Olympic and Sports Movement.”
Speaking at the opening of the new year, he expressed “a heart full of hope, determination and immense pride for all that we have accomplished together and, above all, for all that we are about to achieve.” He emphasized that Africa is poised to become a key player in world sport not only through its athletes but also through visionary leadership and modernised institutions.
Berraf outlined a seven‑point roadmap designed to propel African sport into the future. Highlights include the Afro‑Asian Cultural Event in Kuwait City on 28 March under the theme “Silk to Sahara,” the inaugural ANOCA Diploma in Sports Diplomacy in Hungary, an AI Forum to harness technology for athlete development, and a Medical Forum to raise health standards. The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, will be the first time the event is hosted on African soil, providing a showcase of the continent’s capacity to organise major competitions. “Africa must not merely ride the tech wave, we should be at the helm,” he asserted, stressing that innovation is now a necessity.
The President also paid tribute to key partners, singling out IOC President Kirsty Coventry and former President Thomas Bach for their support.
“Her landmark election marks a new era for the Global Olympic and Sports Movement,” Berraf said of Coventry, while thanking Bach for his “rock‑solid support” throughout his tenure.
He praised the 54 African National Olympic Committees for their relentless work, often under difficult conditions, noting that “every medal won by an African athlete is the fruit of your labour.”
Unity, Berraf warned, is non‑negotiable. “Unity is not wishful thinking! it is a must,” he declared, urging all stakeholders to attend every event, share experiences, and support one another. He called for a collective commitment to make 2026 “the year of Olympic Africa,” envisioning an ANOCA that is modern, transparent, and a credible partner on the world stage. “When an African NOC succeeds, the whole of Africa wins,” he added.
In closing, Berraf extended personal wishes for health and prosperity, reminding everyone that “without good health, nothing is possible.” He expressed conviction that “the future of African sport is in our hands” and called on all to “shape that future together, with confidence and ambition.”
The roadmap, he said, is already underway, and 2026 has begun “with you, with all of us, with the firm conviction that when Africa is united, when Africa is committed, when Africa believes in itself, nothing can stop us.”