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ThE africa Cup of nations, officially Can(French for Coupe d’afrique des nations), for long has become an industry that catalyzes development but also contributes to stabilize social unrests in africa.
In 1957 the first africa Cup of nations was held in sudan, and since then the football tournament has become much more than just a sporting event. Today it contributes to african development as well as integrating of peoples.
In 2012, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea co-hosted the tournament. It is 40 years since Central africa hosted the last tournament in Cameroon in 1972.
In 1957, the leaders of the Confederation of african Football (CaF) at the time started this continental competition with four teams, increasing since to 16 teams from 1996.
Teams that qualified for the 28th Can are Mali, Guinea, Zambia, Libya, Morocco, senegal, Burkina Faso, niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, sudan, angola, Botswana, Tunisia, and the two host countries, which were exempt from qualifying. african football heavyweights Cameroon, Egypt, nigeria and south africa were conspicuous by their absence.
Big business
The africa Cup of nations tournament has gone beyond sport to become big business and boost development.
The 40,000 plus seater stade de l’amitié-sino-Gabonaise, home to the Can final, was built by the shanghai Construction Group. henri Ohayon, General Director of the national agency of Major Construction(anGT), said it was “a gift from the Chi- nese Government to Gabon in the name of friendship that ties the two countries.”
Created in February 2010 in partnership with american engineering company Bechtel, anGT is responsible for the infrastructural projects for Can 2012. Currently benefiting from good oil prices, Gabon is believed to have invested $494 million for the Can through the anGT, according to the africareport.com
Ohayon said that the Can event was just a small part of a major national renovation project costing more than $10 billion.
“With housing projects, roads, hospitals, hotels and schools to be built around the stadiums, the nation will continue to benefit from the values of the tournament in the future,” he said.
Both Gabonese and foreign companies have reaped the rewards from building Can infrastructure, with socoba, a major Gabonese construction company, working alongside foreign companies like Colas and Ramez, said africareport.com
The website reported that the massive investments have stimulated growth, which has risen from minus 1.4 percent in 2009, to 5.5 percent 2010, and should reach 4.2 percent in 2011. according to the african Development Bank, growth is expected to reach 4.8 percent in 2012.
Renovation and modernisation works have not been left out. The Omar-Bongo de Mvengué International airport, 25 km from Franceville, is being fully renovated, co-financed by Gabon and the Islamic Development Bank for more than $20 million.
apart from infrastructural development, urban development in the form of cafes, bistros and bars in neighborhoods have risen or expanded to accommodate the maximum number of customers by offering amenities suitable to watch live football matches on television.
“We must say at the beginning that a sporting event such as the africa Cup of nations soccer is primarily a time when countries can better position their brand,”said Professor Pius Ottou, economist and lecturer at several universities in Cameroon. Federation shares this view. “The africa Cup of nations has gained more ground in terms of importance for africans. Today it is a competition that comes right after the World Cup and the Olympic Games in terms of the numbers of viewers,” said Binyam. Can is a great opportunity for host countries to invest in some new infrastruc- tures. apart from the stadiums the hosting country will include additional investment by constructing new roads and many other infrastructures of development, he added.
The electronics sector also sees a big boom in business during Can. People rush out to buy TVs as well as repairing TVs that have stood broken for months.
around 50,000 to 60,000 supporters are expected in the country during the competition and those attending matches will find ticket prices are kept low at between $6 and$40, said the stadium’s project director, Thierry Boussillon.
Jean Paul akono, former Cameroon football international and coach who won the gold medal with the U-23 Cameroon teamat the sydney Olympics, believes that Can is a moment of consecration to the african continent. Can is considered as the World Cup for africans. The Can actually enters the business world, as it requires that a country meet a number of conditions, that includes big high standard hotel infrastructures of communications, playing fields and renovated stadia, he said.
CAN as ambassador
Can also has a political element as organization negotiations are done by heads of state and in a continent often mired in conflict it contributes to an easing of tension and creating a more positive role for society through sporting discipline. In this regard, football is also considered as the best ambassador for the image of africans abroad as when national teams win, it unites people.
Prof. Ottou said that when Cameroon had a well functioning first division league there was less social tension in the country than today when stadiums stand empty.
Botswana has also had its spirits lifted after having qualified for the first time, he said. Binyam recalls how while at the 2010 World Cup in south africa he had discussions with many people who told him that despite not even liking football they were so impressed with the unity across all social groups that the game had brought to all south africans.
Coach akono also feels that Can has an important social contribution. “If you win the trophy or you arrive at least in the final this can strengthen the population of a country and its patriotism and can only bring people closer and make them forget all the usual political divisions and foster more understanding,” he said.
a good example of sport ambassadors are Roger Milla and samuel Eto’o, two legendary Cameroonian players who have raised the image of their country along with Cote d’Ivoire’s Didier Drogba who has played a key role in the peace process in his country.
(Reporting from Cameroon)
In 1957 the first africa Cup of nations was held in sudan, and since then the football tournament has become much more than just a sporting event. Today it contributes to african development as well as integrating of peoples.
In 2012, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea co-hosted the tournament. It is 40 years since Central africa hosted the last tournament in Cameroon in 1972.
In 1957, the leaders of the Confederation of african Football (CaF) at the time started this continental competition with four teams, increasing since to 16 teams from 1996.
Teams that qualified for the 28th Can are Mali, Guinea, Zambia, Libya, Morocco, senegal, Burkina Faso, niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, sudan, angola, Botswana, Tunisia, and the two host countries, which were exempt from qualifying. african football heavyweights Cameroon, Egypt, nigeria and south africa were conspicuous by their absence.
Big business
The africa Cup of nations tournament has gone beyond sport to become big business and boost development.
The 40,000 plus seater stade de l’amitié-sino-Gabonaise, home to the Can final, was built by the shanghai Construction Group. henri Ohayon, General Director of the national agency of Major Construction(anGT), said it was “a gift from the Chi- nese Government to Gabon in the name of friendship that ties the two countries.”
Created in February 2010 in partnership with american engineering company Bechtel, anGT is responsible for the infrastructural projects for Can 2012. Currently benefiting from good oil prices, Gabon is believed to have invested $494 million for the Can through the anGT, according to the africareport.com
Ohayon said that the Can event was just a small part of a major national renovation project costing more than $10 billion.
“With housing projects, roads, hospitals, hotels and schools to be built around the stadiums, the nation will continue to benefit from the values of the tournament in the future,” he said.
Both Gabonese and foreign companies have reaped the rewards from building Can infrastructure, with socoba, a major Gabonese construction company, working alongside foreign companies like Colas and Ramez, said africareport.com
The website reported that the massive investments have stimulated growth, which has risen from minus 1.4 percent in 2009, to 5.5 percent 2010, and should reach 4.2 percent in 2011. according to the african Development Bank, growth is expected to reach 4.8 percent in 2012.
Renovation and modernisation works have not been left out. The Omar-Bongo de Mvengué International airport, 25 km from Franceville, is being fully renovated, co-financed by Gabon and the Islamic Development Bank for more than $20 million.
apart from infrastructural development, urban development in the form of cafes, bistros and bars in neighborhoods have risen or expanded to accommodate the maximum number of customers by offering amenities suitable to watch live football matches on television.
“We must say at the beginning that a sporting event such as the africa Cup of nations soccer is primarily a time when countries can better position their brand,”said Professor Pius Ottou, economist and lecturer at several universities in Cameroon. Federation shares this view. “The africa Cup of nations has gained more ground in terms of importance for africans. Today it is a competition that comes right after the World Cup and the Olympic Games in terms of the numbers of viewers,” said Binyam. Can is a great opportunity for host countries to invest in some new infrastruc- tures. apart from the stadiums the hosting country will include additional investment by constructing new roads and many other infrastructures of development, he added.
The electronics sector also sees a big boom in business during Can. People rush out to buy TVs as well as repairing TVs that have stood broken for months.
around 50,000 to 60,000 supporters are expected in the country during the competition and those attending matches will find ticket prices are kept low at between $6 and$40, said the stadium’s project director, Thierry Boussillon.
Jean Paul akono, former Cameroon football international and coach who won the gold medal with the U-23 Cameroon teamat the sydney Olympics, believes that Can is a moment of consecration to the african continent. Can is considered as the World Cup for africans. The Can actually enters the business world, as it requires that a country meet a number of conditions, that includes big high standard hotel infrastructures of communications, playing fields and renovated stadia, he said.
CAN as ambassador
Can also has a political element as organization negotiations are done by heads of state and in a continent often mired in conflict it contributes to an easing of tension and creating a more positive role for society through sporting discipline. In this regard, football is also considered as the best ambassador for the image of africans abroad as when national teams win, it unites people.
Prof. Ottou said that when Cameroon had a well functioning first division league there was less social tension in the country than today when stadiums stand empty.
Botswana has also had its spirits lifted after having qualified for the first time, he said. Binyam recalls how while at the 2010 World Cup in south africa he had discussions with many people who told him that despite not even liking football they were so impressed with the unity across all social groups that the game had brought to all south africans.
Coach akono also feels that Can has an important social contribution. “If you win the trophy or you arrive at least in the final this can strengthen the population of a country and its patriotism and can only bring people closer and make them forget all the usual political divisions and foster more understanding,” he said.
a good example of sport ambassadors are Roger Milla and samuel Eto’o, two legendary Cameroonian players who have raised the image of their country along with Cote d’Ivoire’s Didier Drogba who has played a key role in the peace process in his country.
(Reporting from Cameroon)