ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - A two-day workshop for Presidents, Secretaries-General and National Technical Directors took place from July 16-17 at FIBA Africa headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Seven National Federations of the group "Target" from Mali, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, DR Congo, Mozambique and Rwanda participated in the event, which turned out to be an opportunity to evaluate the implementation of the FIBA Development Programme in Africa..

"We took the opportunity of this workshop to review the implementation at the mid-point of the Development Program we launched for the benefit of our national federations two years ago. This Development Programme include National Federations of the group ''Target'' which are selected according to their development potential," stated FIBA Africa Development Council President Jean Michel Ramaroson.

"During these two-day working sessions, we focused on the role of a National Technical Direction within a federation. This step follows that related to the equipment distribution programme and our next activity will be based on the implementation of a strategic plan to enable each federation to achieve the set objectives."

The participants welcomed the initiative as it will help them move forward in the promotion and growth of the game.

"This important workshop will help consider the future with more serenity for the harmonious development of basketball in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Africa and worldwide," said Andre Komichelo, Secretary General of the DR Congo Basketball Federation.

"I am confident that at the end of the implementation of this programme, there will be a significant impact on the Congolese basketball with the restructuring of the National Technical Direction which is the linchpin in a national federation," he added.

FIBA National Federations and Sports Manager, Florian Pasquet noted that "We focused on the principles of governance but essentially the role of the Technical Direction which is the core business of a Federation. All went according to our plan, and I can say that at halfway through the implementation of this programme we have positive results.

"We are trying to move as fast as possible according to our resources. It is a great challenge and we noticed that the federations are satisfied with what has been done so far. We were recently in Uganda where we had five-day working sessions with all the stakeholders who can facilitate the proper implementation of this programme."

FIBA