Analysis of how African countries can leverage sport for development and diplomacy after the 2022 World Cup.
After the men's World Cup: how African countries can exploit the
Why it matters
The 2022 World Cup offered African countries a unique opportunity for international visibility, with five teams qualifying for the competition. This visibility can be used to promote sports development and diplomacy, key elements for social and economic progress in Africa. Brookings analysis highlights how sporting success can translate into diplomatic and development opportunities, helping to strengthen international relations.
Context
The analysis focuses on how African nations, following their success at the World Cup, can use sport to promote their development and improve diplomacy. The example of the Springboks demonstrates how sporting triumph can unite a country and strengthen national pride, suggesting that similar strategies could also be adopted in football.
Key points
- After the men's World Cup: how African countries can exploit it.
- Analysis of how African countries can leverage sport for development and diplomacy after the 2022 World Cup.
- After the men's World Cup: How African countries can leverage sports for development and diplomacy - brookings.edu.
An analysis of how African countries can exploit sport for development and diplomacy after the 2022 World Cup.
The 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar has ended, and with it the period of global visibility that African countries had thanks to their representatives in the competition also ended. In fact, this year, for the first time, five African countries qualified for a World Cup: Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, Ghana and Morocco. The latter made history by reaching the semi-finals, while Senegal reached the round of 16. The other two countries, Ghana and Portugal, were placed in the same group, so they competed against each other, and Ghana did not make it through.
However, how can African countries use the sporting success and visibility achieved during the World Cup to further develop their sport and also to have greater diplomatic visibility?
An article published by the Brookings think tank and entitled "After the men's World Cup: How African countries can leverage sports for development and diplomacy" seeks to answer this question.
According to the author of the article, Sabelo Mlangeni, one of the areas in which we can and must invest is that of sports diplomacy. Mlangeni cites in his article the case of the South African national rugby team, the so-called Springboks, who managed to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. The victory of the World Cup by the South African rugby team was greeted with great enthusiasm and great national pride, and the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, declared that the Springboks had been a source of unity for the country and therefore more had to be invested in sport. Here, according to Mlangeni, African countries should follow the example of South Africa and its rugby team, investing more in sport, but not only to achieve sporting success, but rather to use victories and sporting successes as tools of national unity.
Another area in which African countries should invest is that of sport for development, and here Mlangeni gives an example, or rather he cites two very interesting ones. The first example is that of Morocco, which has decided to invest in sport in schools. In fact, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has launched an initiative which involves the construction of 5000 sports facilities in schools across the country, and this initiative, according to Mlangeni, should guarantee greater participation of students, especially female students, in sports activities.
The second example is that of Ghana, where an NGO, i.e. a non-governmental organisation, is carrying out a project called "Goalz" and which has as its objective precisely that of encouraging boys and girls to practice sports, but at the same time also developing their skills, their skills in the professional field.
So, in conclusion, according to Mlangeni it is time to stop considering sport in Africa only as a matter of entertainment, but we must give it an added value, a development value and a value of greater visibility and greater usefulness also on the level of diplomacy.
What happens now
After the World Cup, African countries are called to invest in sports diplomacy, following the example of the South African Springboks. The article suggests that, through sporting events and international collaborations, African nations can improve their global image and attract investment. Furthermore, an increase in interest in sport as a development tool is expected, with potential benefits for local communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened after the 2022 World Cup?
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has concluded, bringing global visibility to the African countries that participated.
Who confirmed the importance of sport for development in Africa?
The importance of sport for development in Africa was confirmed in Sabelo Mlangeni's article published by the Brookings think tank.
Why is it now important to exploit sporting success in Africa?
It is important to use sporting success now to further develop your sport and increase the diplomatic visibility of African countries.
What changes does the article suggest for African countries?
The article suggests investing in sports diplomacy and using sporting success to promote unity and development.
Which African countries qualified for the 2022 World Cup?
The African countries that have qualified for the 2022 World Cup are Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, Ghana and Morocco.
Related Articles