March 16, 2017 marked a major turning point in the history of the Confederation of African Football. That day, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, won a decisive victory by joining the CAF executive committee, well ahead of his only competitor, the Algerian Mohamed Raouraoua, by 41 votes to 9. The latter had held this position since June 2004, after being elected for the first time on the sidelines of the African Cup of Nations.
Beyond this personal victory, Fouzi Lekjaa was also entrusted with the presidency of strategic commissions within CAF, notably those of finance and competitions. This Moroccan breakthrough resulted in the integration of several national executives into different committees of the continental body, significantly strengthening the presence of the Kingdom in the decision-making structures of African football, indicates the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia which dedicates the edition of Friday December 19 to the African Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco.
This dynamic is part of a more global strategy for the return and anchoring of Morocco on the African scene, based on institutional stability, a long-term vision and proactive sports diplomacy. Since 2017, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, in accordance with royal guidelines, has worked to consolidate its bilateral relations with numerous African federations. This cooperation is manifested in particular by the regular hosting of training courses intended for African coaches, referees and technical executives at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora, which has become a true continental center for skills development.
Thanks to this active football diplomacy, Morocco has also succeeded in countering attempts to exploit sport for political purposes hostile to its national interests. By occupying a central and credible place within African authorities, the Kingdom has been able to preserve its achievements, defend its positions and make football a coherent extension of its foreign policy in Africa, writes Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.
Recognition of this action materialized in 2022 with the award to King Mohammed VI of the Confederation of African Football Excellence Prize, rewarding exceptional achievements in the service of African football. In a message addressed on this occasion, read by the former Minister of National Education, Preschool Education and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa, the Sovereign stressed that this distinction constituted above all a tribute to the African genius and the youth of the continent.
King Mohammed VI recalled his conviction, already expressed at the 2017 African Union summit, that the future of Africa is intrinsically linked to its youth. He insisted on the need for proactive policies oriented towards young people in order to channel energies towards development. For the Sovereign, football is not reduced to a simple sporting discipline, but is the result of in-depth work, a forward-looking vision, governance based on efficiency and transparency, as well as continuous investments in infrastructure and human capital.
The royal message also highlighted the convergence of views between King Mohammed VI and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, also honored by CAF, around a shared faith in the potential of Africa and its youth. This conviction fuels a constant commitment, without complacency or self-satisfaction, to consolidate achievements and take on new challenges.
The Sovereign also praised the commitment of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the development of African football, as well as the role played by CAF President Patrice Motsepe in strengthening the influence of continental football and restoring the credibility of its decision-making bodies.
Recalling the symbolic impact of the performance of Arab and African football during the last World Cup in Qatar, King Mohammed VI stressed that these exploits highlighted universal human values such as perseverance, self-sacrifice and surpassing oneself, the daily recalls. Morocco strives to anchor these values sustainably by integrating sport into the education system, with the aim of broadening the base of sporting practice, releasing talents and supporting young people revealed through appropriate training and qualification courses.
King Mohammed VI reaffirmed that Morocco has repeatedly demonstrated, through concrete actions, its availability to put its infrastructure, expertise and experience, particularly in the field of football, at the service of brotherly African countries wishing to make their youth an engine of hope and growth. A commitment which sums up a national ambition inseparable from a continental ambition, making Moroccan sports diplomacy a strategic lever in the service of Africa.