Government has challenged private sector and the corporate world to join hands to deliver regional 5 youth games in the country in December, 2022.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Richard Chimwendo Banda made the challenge Friday during the launch of the Lilongwe 2022 10th African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Regional 5 Youth games at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC)) in Lilongwe.
He said the regional 5 youth games would provided business opportunities to the private sector and corporate world in order to boost the country’s economic development.
“We are expecting that the private sector and corporate world will partner with government to ensuring the successfully delivery of the games by providing necessary support in order to portray good imagine of the country,” Chimwendo Banda said.
He said government alone could not delivery the games alone but it requires the effort of progressive captains of industry and commerce for it to happen.
The Minister said the hosting of the games should be viewed as a national project which requires the support of all sectors in the country.
He added the games calls for innovations and excellence to sustain them and be able to be used as global showcase of some of the athletes.
Chimwendo Banda hoped that the Ministry with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) would deliver the games with a reasonable budget in line with austerity measures in place.
“We are grateful that the games will bring hospital equipment like MRI scanning, renovation of hostels and hospitals, provide human capital development by training 400 technical officials whom will be used to officiate major tournaments I the near future,” he added.
He said Lilongwe as a city would be able to hoist over, 3, 000 international atheletes for over 15 days, accommodating 270 international delegates and they would be creation of 400 temporary jobs.
Chimwendo Banda said there was need to prioritize the upgrading public facilities to enable people to have equal access to the games.
He said people should stand to benefit from the investment government was making to competition venues.
Chairperson for AUSC Regional Organizing Committee (ROC), Stanley Mutoya said the launch signifies the willingness of Malawi to host the youth games.
He said this shows that Malawi was ready to host the games that every athlete, coach, technical official and sports administrators are looking forward to be part of in December, 2022.
Chairperson of LOC, Dennis Mombera said the LOC has been humbled to carry the mantle to host the youth games.
He commended the government for the entrusting to committee to deliver the historical and memorable regional 5 youth games in the country.
The games are expected to be staged from December 2 to 11, 2022 with 10 countries to participate.