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David GOMBE
The Government of Uganda, together with the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), United Nations Global Pulse (UN Global Pulse), and other strategic partners today officially launched the Sports for National Development (SND) Consortium. The SND is a multi-stakeholder platform established to maximize the socio-economic opportunities presented by Uganda’s co-hosting of the 2027 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The launch was held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, and it brought together the AFCON – CHAN
Local Organizing Committee, senior government officials, development partners, private sector leaders, sports administrators, academia, civil society organizations, and cultural institutions to unveil a shared vision for positioning AFCON 2027 as a key ingredient for sustainable development, economic growth, tourism promotion, innovation, investment, and national transformation.
The SND Consortium was established on the shared belief that AFCON 2027 offers Uganda an opportunity to create a lasting development legacy beyond football.
The Consortium seeks to ensure that through rcoordinated partnerships between government, development partners, the private sector, academia, civil society, and the sports community, the tournament generates sustainable benefits for young people, communities, businesses,and the nation long after the final whistle.
The consortium is anchored on five strategic pillars: Data and Analytics; Strengthened Football Ecosystem and Engagement; Strategic Investment Intelligence; Destination Uganda; and Legacy and Sustainability.
These pillars are intended to position Uganda’s
hosting process as a coordinated national development programme, that augments critical infrastructure and related hosting investments by generating evidence, coordinating investment, and delivering measurable national development outcomes before, during and after the event.
Delivering a remark on behalf of the Government of Uganda, the Minister of State for Sports and Co-Chairperson, CHAN – AFCON Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Peter Ogwang appreciated the invitation to participate in the launch of the consortium. He outlined that “I was, from the outset, strongly supportive of the objectives of the consortium. The strategic consortium pillars of (i) Data and analytics (ii) Strengthened Football Ecosystem and Engagement (iii) Strategic Investment Intelligence, (iv) Destination Uganda and (v) Legacy and Sustainability remain relevant to the work we are doing. Uganda’s, and the regional improved hosting capacity is our premier legacy benefit, which presents a new opportunity to attract and host local, regional and international sports tournaments and events. Further, there is now opportunity for Ugandan athletes to develop talents using local facilities which is a more affordable approach when contrasted with training in foreign facilities. The long-term viability of sport industry in Uganda, therefore, will be much a result of catalytic investments by Government in infrastructure and talent development, as will be the result of complementary efforts of actors in the larger macro economy, such as the SND Consortium.
Speaking at the launch, Hon. Magogo Moses Hassim, President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA),emphasized
“It is a competition that is watched in over 150 countries,meaning it is an opportunity to project the country to the world. For us it is an opportunity to grow our economy. It is an opportunity to tell our story as East Africa. When we have data we can further enhance our story, we can inform development that is catalysed by hosting the AFCON” As part of the United Nations Family, the UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Leonard Zulu stated that “In our Joint Statement introducing the Cooperation Framework, by the Right Honourable Prime Minister and myself on behalf of the Government of Uganda and the United Nations, we observed that “business as usual will not deliver” Uganda’s ambition of achieving ten-fold economic growth and high middle income status. Instead, we called for a different way of working one driven by urgency, discipline, innovation, and stronger partnerships. Today’s Consortium embodies exactly that spirit.”
Speaking on behalf of the consortium partners, Ms. Nwanne Vwede-Obahor, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) stated that, “Our shared task is to ensure that for Uganda, that the final whistle does not signal an ending, but a new kick-off.
One that unlocks lasting opportunities for jobs, tourism, enterprise development, infrastructure, national pride and regional integration. Look around this room and you will see the power of strategic partnership of the SND. FUFA brings the game and its ecosystem.
The Uganda Manufacturers Association brings the productive sector that will supply, build and merchandise this tournament. The Uganda Tourism Board brings the destination, so that visitors will not only come for football, but also for Uganda’s lasting experience, remembering Uganda for who we are. UN Global Pulse, UNESCO and UNDP bring frontier data science and analytics; culture and heritage; and convening role, policy depth and investment facilitation, the connective tissue between evidence and decision-making. No single institution can capture the AFCON dividend alone. Together, we can ensure it is anticipated, measured, financed and expertly delivered.”
In delivering his remarks, H.E. Anton Garcia Alvara, Charge de affairs of the European Union to Uganda,
“The EU is proud to support initiatives that enhance sports for national development. Football talent is not automatic, it is about development, the results take years but eventually as is seen by results in Spain’s football, internationally and in its domestic leagues is a deliberate investment. There is significant opportunity in AFCON, talent needs to be nurtured, talent needs opportunity, talent needs infrastructure and the results can last for generations. ”
A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Consortium’s vision and collaborative arrangements, followed by the official signing of the symbolic Consortium Plaque by the partners, symbolizing their shared commitment to turn the vision into action.
The launch further provided a platform for dialogue among government institutions, development partners, the private sector, sports organizations, and civil society on opportunities for collaboration in infrastructure development, tourism, investment promotion, innovation, skills development, youth employment, and cultural exchange.
As Uganda prepares to co-host Africa’s biggest football tournament, the SND Consortium aims to ensure that the tournament becomes a transformative national development programme that is creating jobs, strengthening institutions, attracting investment,enhancing Uganda’s global profile, and advancing sustainable social and economic benefits for communities across the country.
About the Sports for National Development Consortium
The Sports for National Development Consortium is a multi-stakeholder partnership established by FUFA, UNDP, UNESCO, Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), United Nations Global Pulse (UNGP) and other partners to maximize the socio-economic opportunities arising from Uganda’s co-hosting of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The initiative seeks to promote coordinated action across five strategic pillars; Data and Analytics, Football Ecosystem and Engagement, Strategic Investment Intelligence, Destination Uganda, and Legacy and Sustainability, to ensure that AFCON 2027 contributes to Uganda’s long-term national development a
