CAF holds maiden strategic workshop for Directors of Zonal Bodies

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has undertaken the maiden strategic workshop for the Executive Directors of the zonal unions to help boost their operations to further forge the development of the game on the continent.

Under the auspices of Sarah Mukuna, Director of Member Associations (MAs) of CAF, all the six executive directors of the regional bodies were present in Algiers for the capacity building initiative to also help improve efficiency.

The top priority areas identified during the meeting were competitions, the football calendar, financial support, the central audit reviews, capacity building for the MAs and other activities scheduled by CAF.

The two-day event, organised at the sidelines of the ongoing TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria, produced a shared vision for the continued development of the zones and designed a roadmap to make it happen.

Among those present were Mahmoud Hammami of UNAF, COSAFA director Sue Destombes, Auka Gecheo of CECAFA, Martin Etonge of UNIFFAC as well as WAFU A and WAFU B directors Gaye Mapathe and Boureima Balima respectively.

Mukuna, who joined CAF in July 2022 to head the new Member Association Division, stated that the new aim of CAF is to evolve governance structures at all levels to deliver sporting and administrative services to the MAs as efficiently as possible.

“Our zonal bodies are an essential element in the development of our football. It all starts in our zones, so our targeted objective is being more professional in our activities,” Mukuna told CAFOnline.com.

“You know the more tournaments we have, whether competitions or qualifying tournaments, the more our players get into a competitive routine. We have put in place a new strategy on several levels: whether in the field of communication or finance.”

Ms. Mukuna provided answers to the questions asked and clarified certain points on the appointment of new financial managers for the zones to provide effective financial link between CAF and the regional bodies.

The workshop also heard the thoughts of the executive directors on the operations in their various zones and they delivered their valuable opinions in the discussions.

Hammami, executive director of the UNAF (North African Football Union) zone, was delighted with his two-day meeting and said: “It is important for us, the representatives of the regions, to be in perpetual contact with the CAF, because we are the secular arm of the mother body.

“We have just experienced a rich exchange for better collaboration with the new management. Such meetings and exchanges are essential for the development of our football. We got the key information for our common vision”.

Following this meeting, a new document was sent to the Executive Directors on new guidance for how they will better manage the zonal bodies going forward.

Source: Confederation of African Football