HIBAPRESS
A meeting held today, Saturday, in Rabat, highlighted the opportunities and potential offered by sports as a parallel diplomacy capable of effectively contributing to the promotion of socio-economic and territorial development, at both the national and continental levels.
Participants, during a round table on the topic "Sports Diplomacy as a Lever for Socio-Economic and Territorial Development for Morocco and Africa", organized by the Junior Chamber International in Rabat in cooperation with Mohammed V University, emphasized that sports have become a soft power and a strategic investment tool that consolidates Morocco's position as a leading model capable of transforming major sporting events into sustainable development projects that go beyond the boundaries of stadiums.
The speakers stressed the importance of investing in human capital, especially the youth category, as a fundamental pillar of economic and social development, as it provides promising job opportunities, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening investment in various sports, which enhances Morocco's radiance regionally and internationally.
In this context, Professor at the Royal Institute for the Training of Youth and Sports Leaders, Maryam Rahmouni, confirmed that the Moroccan athlete plays the role of "ambassador" in enhancing the image of the Kingdom on the international level, explaining, based on her experience as an athlete in cycling and an international instructor, that every sports participation in global forums constitutes an actual practice of effective sports diplomacy that reflects positively on Morocco's radiance.
She noted that Morocco has established a successful strategy based on intensive investment in sports infrastructure, which is embodied by hosting major events, such as the 2025 African Cup of Nations, considering that this approach aims to make sports a pivotal lever for social, economic and cultural development, going beyond the logic of sports competition to the logic of sustainable growth.
She added that the strategy for the development of the sports sector is no longer limited to football, but now includes other sports, within the framework of a comprehensive vision that aims to enhance the impact of sports diplomacy and link it to national development strategies.
For his part, the sports journalist, Mohamed Al-Wardi, highlighted the pivotal role played by Moroccan youth in the success of major sporting events, especially through the involvement of thousands of volunteers in organizing the 2025 African Cup of Nations, considering that these events constitute strategic preparation stations for the upcoming global sports events, and at the forefront of which is the organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup in a joint manner with Spain and Portugal.
He pointed out that Morocco has become a leading model on the continental level in various sports specializations, starting from football for men and women, passing through age groups, and reaching futsal, stressing that sports is no longer just a parallel diplomacy, but has become a real engine for development, which requires dedicating an investment approach in the management of various sports.
For her part, the President of the Chamber, Maryam Bouzekar, in a statement to the press, confirmed that the choice of the topic of sports diplomacy comes within the context of Morocco's hosting of a number of continental events and its readiness to organize major international sporting events, noting that sports has become a soft power and a major lever for social and economic development, nationally and continentally.
This meeting was also an opportunity for the official launch of the annual program of the Junior Chamber International in Rabat for the year 2026, in addition to presenting its annual action plan.
It is worth noting that the Junior Chamber International is an international non-governmental and non-profit organization, founded in 1915 in the United States of America, before seeing the light in Morocco in 1957, thus becoming the first branch of the Chamber in Africa and the Arab world. Since then, the organization continues to play an important role in preparing and qualifying committed young leaders, capable of effectively contributing to achieving social and economic development within their communities.
