The Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded, on Tuesday March 14 in Kigali, Rwanda, its Award of Excellence for the Exceptional Achievements of the Year 2022 to HM King Mohammed VI and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The “CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award” trophy was presented by the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino and the President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, to the Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa. The award ceremony took place during a ceremony attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the CAF Executive Committee, presidents of CAF Member Associations and football legends. On this occasion, King Mohammed VI delivered a message to CAF. Here is the full text of the Royal Message, which was read by the Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Mr. Chakib Benmoussa.
Praise be to God, Prayer and Greetings on the Prophet, His family and His companions.
My Dear Brother Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda,
Mr President of the International Federation of Association Football,
Mr President of the Confederation of African Football,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like, first of all, to tell you my satisfaction to receive this Award of Excellence from the Confederation of African Football, for the year 2022. It is with pleasure that I accept it. I would like to welcome the presence of Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football and pay tribute to his vigorous commitment to African football. I would also like to thank the President of the African Football Confederation, Mr. Patrice Motsepe, for his leadership and his action for the influence of African football and the resurgence of the credibility of its bodies. I share with my brother, President Paul Kagame – who is also honored today by the Confederation of African Football – an unshakable confidence in our African continent, in its young people and in its abilities. We are working on it, without ever being satisfied with our wishes, nor resting on our achievements.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I remain true to the conviction I expressed in my speech at the 29th African Union Summit in 2017: “Africa’s future depends on its youth” and alone”a proactive youth-oriented policy will channel the energy for development”. Also, the prize awarded to me today is, first and foremost, a tribute to the genius of Africa and its dazzling youth. It represents, in my eyes, a recognition of the choices that I have made, to put in place the conditions conducive to its expression and promotion. Because, beyond sport, football is the result of a construction over time.
In my country, the Kingdom of Morocco, I wanted to make football a lever for success and sustainable human development. In addition to being a passion and the expression of creative talent, football is a vision for the future, a long-term commitment, efficient and transparent governance, and an investment in infrastructure as much as in human capital. .
By honoring Africa during the last World Cup in Qatar, Moroccan football also honored these values of perseverance, self-sacrifice and surpassing oneself. We are working to root them by uniting sport with education, so as to broaden the practice of football in particular, to bring out potential and support detected talents with appropriate training.
Beyond the verb, the Kingdom of Morocco has, on many occasions, proven by the acts that its means, its infrastructures and its experience, in particular in football, are at the disposal of all the brotherly African countries wishing, too, to make young people a lever of hope and growth. Because the ambition I have for my country is consubstantial with the ambition I have for the African continent. In this spirit, I am announcing before your assembly that the Kingdom of Morocco has decided, with Spain and Portugal, to submit a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Unprecedented in the history of football, this common candidacy will be that of the junction: between Africa and Europe, between the north and the south of the Mediterranean, and between the African, Arab and Euro-Mediterranean worlds. It will also be a rallying bid around the best on both sides, and the demonstration of an alliance of genius, creativity, experience and resources.
Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatoullahi wabarakatouh”.
The caf award of excellence attributes to King Mohammed VI:
A consecration of the genius of all African youth
The awarding to HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Tuesday in Kigali, Rwanda, of its Award of Excellence which crowns exceptional achievements for the year 2022, constitutes a consecration of the genius of all the youth of the African continent, affirmed the Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa.
Mr. Benmoussa underlined that this coronation is also a recognition of the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom of Morocco under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty the King, for the development of football, particularly in terms of infrastructure and basic equipment, strengthening training capacities and promoting transparency and good governance in this area.
The Minister, who received the award on behalf of His Majesty the King from the President of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, and the President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, noted that Morocco has thanks to these efforts, a high quality football infrastructure which qualifies it to organize major continental and world competitions, as well as a great experience that it can share with African countries.
- Benmoussa stopped on the announcement by HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco’s joint candidacy, with Spain and Portugal, to host the 2030 World Cup, insisting on its particular symbolism insofar as it bears on a dossier which is the first of its kind bringing together an African State and two European States.
This common candidacy which will connect Africa and Europe, the North and the South of the Mediterranean, the African continent and the Arab world and the Euro-Mediterranean area, has all the assets to succeed, argued the Minister.
CAF awarded this Tuesday in Kigali its Prize of Excellence rewarding the Exceptional Achievements of the Year 2022 to HM King Mohammed VI and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The trophy “CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award” was thus presented by the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino and the President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, to Mr. Benmoussa. The award ceremony took place during a ceremony attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the CAF Executive Committee, presidents of CAF Member Associations and football legends.
With MAP
