Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida to host 2019 Africa Games

Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida to host 2019 Africa Games

Morocco delegates

Morocco Delegation at the AIPS Africa Congress (L-R): Ms Ghizalane Senhaji, El Boyoudi Mustapha and AIPS Africa Vice President Morad Moutaouakkil

Hosts of the 2019 Africa Games, Morocco has confirmed that the continent's mini Olympics will be staged in three cities -- Rabat, Casablanca and El Jadida.

The Games, which will be the 12th edition, will be held from August 19 to August 31 with the three cities selected providing all the facilities needed for the 28 events to be competed in.

Opening and closing ceremonies Ms Ghizalane Senhaji and El Boyoudi Mustapha, who led a delegation from Morocco to update delegates at the sixth International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Africa Congress in Accra, explained that while Rabat would host the opening and closing ceremonies, the other two cities would host many events from the other disciplines.

“Facilities at the other two venues are excellent and good enough to host international events. We want to the Games to be the best ever organised and to bring the experience closer to everyone.

“Approval has been given for the use of the three cities and both athletes and visitors will thoroughly enjoy these three selected cities which are also very rich in Morocco history,” Ms  Senhaji said.

Games for the media She also underscored the important role of the media in promoting the Games and espoused the significance of the timing for the AIPS Africa Congress.

“Morocco 2019 will also be a Games for the media as they are key partners for the promotion of the Games. There could not have been a better place than the AIPS Africa Congress in Accra to also help in the official countdown to the Games.

Best ever “As hosts, our objective is to make the Games the best ever organised as well as bring closer to one another, African athletes and countries as that remains the aim of the Games and we count on the support of the media from around the continent to achieve this aim,” Ms Senhaji indicated.

She also confirmed that the Games will also for the first time, be qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 19 disciplines.    

Morocco returns to the Games Though Morocco had not participated in the AG which was formerly known as the All Africa Games (AAG), for almost 30 years due to the African Union’s position on Western Sahara, the country was reinstated into the AU in 2017, paving the way for one of North Africa’s stable and richest countries, to rejoin the AG.

Morocco’s last participated in the AG in 1978 when it was staged in Algiers.

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