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Collin Matiza
Sports Editor
THE African Union Sports Council Region 5 will host a Covid-19 Community of Partners dialogue on July 3.
The dialogue is meant to establish the impact of the pandemic on sport in all the Region’s 10-member countries, challenges being encountered, and how different countries have dealt with the devastating effects of this deadly pandemic.
This dialogue is the first step towards judicious development of a Regional Return-to-Sport Framework that will be used by AUSC Region 5 member countries as a reference in the establishment of strategies for sport to slowly resume.
The AUSC Region 5 comprises of Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Sport has been on ice for the past three months in the region as a result of the coronavirus-induced restrictions.
This has caused untold disruptions to various sports leagues, events and tournaments which had been planned for the year, including cancellation and postponement of other major events and activities.
The AUSC Region 5 have noted that various member countries are experiencing various levels of restrictions and social distancing regulations in a bid to flatten the curve of infection.
AUSC Region 5, chief executive, Stanley Mutoya said: “There is always value on collaboration and knowledge sharing among co-operating parties at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
“The CoP dialogue presents a rare platform for our key stakeholders to share experiences and buttress their current plans for a calculated return of sport with full understanding of the need to be cautious and uphold safety of the athletes, administrators and technical officials.”
Mutoya went on to state that such platforms for dialogue are beneficial in the drive towards a uniform and systematic resumption of sport in the region.
One of the key highlights of the CoP dialogue is that the World Health Organisation country office of Botswana and Commonwealth Secretariat will be part of the dialogue.
The WHO will be able to share some of the key guidelines for consideration in the fight and management of the pandemic within the sport sector.
The Commonwealth Secretariat has been invited to share best practice regarding how the rest of the world is dealing with Return-to-Sport in order for the Region 5 members to borrow ideas that could be applicable in their contexts given the diversity of environments, resources and experiences among different regions and countries.
The AUSC Region 5 has invited Directors of Sport, Chairpersons and CEOs of Sports Commissions/Councils, presidents and secretary-generals of National Olympic Committees, Regional Anti-Doping Organisation board members, Region 5 Desk Officers, commissions and committees as well as Regional Sports Confederations to participate in this digital dialogue which will be hosted via an online platform.
All members invited members are expected to have confirmed attendance before this coming Monday.
Online Reporter