France and Kenya sign deal to build eight sports complexes across Kenya
The French Minister for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, Olivier Becht, met with his Kenyan counterpart from the ministry of sports on Tuesday to discuss bilateral cooperation projects.
In order to promote sports and culture as a method of development and social inclusion in Africa, WinWinAfrique, a French firm, will be building eight “agora” sports facilities around Kenya. The two countries have agreed to jointly finance this project.
“France and Kenya are jointly financing the creation of 8 “agora” sports complexes throughout the country by the French company WinWinAfrique,” Becht tweeted.
The “agora” model was influenced by the shared spaces in ancient Greece where people congregated for various events. In addition to providing facilities for athletics, martial arts, football, basketball, volleyball, handball, and other sports, the sports complexes will also host cultural events and training sessions.
The first “agora” was built in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 2019 and has been a success story.
The deal was signed by Becht and the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs , Sports and The Arts Ababu Namwamba at a ceremony attended by representatives from both governments and WinWinAfrique.
Becht stated that France was delighted to support Kenya in its efforts to increase youth access to sport and promote social harmony. Namwamba expressed gratitude to France for its support and industry knowledge in these areas.
The project is a subset of France’s larger partnership with Kenya in a number of areas, including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education.
According to Becht, France views Kenya as a crucial player in maintaining regional security and a vital partner in East Africa.
The project, which has a budget of 60 million euros (KES 8 billion), is based on three pillars: developing social cohesion, training, and sustainable development programs; creating multifunctional local facilities in low-income neighborhoods; and ensuring an autonomous operating system through revenue-generating activities.