Rwanda, and member countries in the CECAFA region, have warmly welcomed FIFA’s decision to bring its regional football office (RDO) that was opened in Kigali last week.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, delegates from the FIFA Member Associations Presidents in the CECAFA region as well government officials including Sports Minister Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju and Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta.
The new office in Kigali, which was relocated from Addis Ababa, saw Rwanda become the third African country, after Senegal and South Africa, to have a FIFA regional development office.
Times Sport looks at what hosting the Regional Office in Kigali means for the country.
FIFA-Rwanda partnership on another level
One crucial reason that made FIFA choose to open its regional development office in Kigali is the growing partnership that Rwanda continues to build with the world football governing body.
During the office inauguration, Infantino commended President Paul Kagame for welcoming FIFA to start operations in Rwanda, through the Regional Offices that the World governing body opened in Kigali.
"When you look at Rwanda, it’s a country that is developing. Even now, in spite of the pandemic, it’s growing, improving and booming, and football is part of the society and is helping the society to build unity, give hope and educate children.
"So, with this in mind, I am sure that, with the opening of the office in Kigali, with the hand-in-hand cooperation we have with President Paul Kagame’s government and the whole region, this part of Africa will shine,” he said.
Minister Biruta said the partnership is a testimony of excellent collaboration that already exists between Rwanda and FIFA.
Infantino paid a courtesy visit to Paul Kagame before departing Rwanda to continue his African tour and that stood out to be an indication of the strong relations existing between both sides.
Football in schools takes shape
Rwanda has been chosen among three countries in Africa to implement football in schools and having the office in Kigali will help the country, through the football governing body (FERWAFA) to elaborate and speed up football development programmes for FIFA beginning from the grassroots level through FIFA Forward Development.
Sports Minister Munyangaju said bringing the office in Kigali is a big boost for FIFA’s Football in schools programme Rwandan chapter and the region.
Munyangaju said that there are a number of football development projects that would be diverted elsewhere and the country would have missed out on their benefits.
"But, with this regional office, we hope that Rwanda will be able to have access to those projects, especially starting development in schools targeting young children,” she said.
FERWAFA, the Ministry of Sports and other stakeholders have a big task to fast track the implementation of the programme in schools to boost talent detection and nurture it through all important stages to ensure Rwanda secures fine football players in the future.
FEWRAFA has, in their agenda, elaborated a 17-year project for football development from the grassroots level, starting from children aged six years and Ferwafa president, Rtd Brig. General Jean-Damascene Sekamana is positive that working closely with FIFA’s office in Kigali will speed up the implementation of their football development projects.
"We want to see the results of this after 15 years. I think having the office here is a big chance for us to exploit them for the benefit of our football development,” said Sekamana.
Boosting infrastructure
Through the partnership that Rwanda has built with FIFA, Rwanda will soon get funding from FIFA to build three more stadiums in rural areas including Rusizi, Gicumbi and Rutsiro, with each having a seating capacity of 3000 upon completion.
The construction of the stadiums is in line with helping the country be able to reach out to children from the grassroots level during its football development programme implementation.
Infantino revealed that there are similar projects that FIFA is running in other CECAFA member countries.
"Infrastructure, competitions, development and education are key areas in which we are focusing,” he said.
What it means for the region
According to Infantino, FIFA’s Regional Development Office hasn’t come to Kigali to organise meetings but to develop football.
The regional office will, among its major tasks, implement Forward Programmes of FIFA which include; organising events and competitions to ensure that investments that FIFA is doing is channeled in the right place and to make sure that East African Football shines at the international scene.
Infantino is positive that it’s time for East Africa to shine on the international scene when it comes to Football.
"The talent is here, the passion is here maybe there was a lack in the part of organization of the structure and that’s what we are building together with federations, governments like Rwanda in this part of the world. Then we can arrange and see some concrete results,” he said.