The African Union Sports Council Region 5 has come so far in the business of developing sport and recreation in the Region. Having started as the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone VI, the organisation formally transformed into the AUSC Region 5 on the 8th of November 2013 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on the occasion of the Council of Ministers meeting. The decision to change the nomenclature from SCSA Zone VI to AUSC Region 5 brought with it excitement and challenges of ensuring the organisation maintained its leader position in Africa while at the same time adopting a new business culture under the auspices of the African Union. The journey has been intriguing and continues to be fascinating as. We have cautiously manoeuvred from

Our mission is to diligently serve our members, stakeholders and partners in the best possible ways using the best possible ways for the best possible results maximising on resource utilisation while minimising costs. We believe strongly in high impact low cost philosophy without compromising on quality. That is why to date, this region can proudly point on the numerous sports infrastructure, trained personnel and athletes excelling at major international sporting platforms as a result of its programmes and activities.

Our programmes and activities have grown over the years to become flagship activities both in the Region and the continent. The Under 20 Youth Games, Sport Education and Accreditation Systems (SEAS), Confederations, Medals of Honour, Women in Sport, Sport for People with Disabilities have all transformed into monumental projects enjoying significant milestones over the years. These achievements have called for massive resource outlay investment in growing them incrementally to the level they are now.

While basking in the glossy of the past successes, we have not fallen into the trap of being oblivious of our preferred future. Innovation has driven us to be more creative, more embracing, more dynamic and more market driven. That approach has seen the introduction of new approaches and programmes. We are excited to roll out the Podium Performance Programme as our High Performance programme. No doubt, we cannot invest in mediocrity if we are to be a formidable Region that we want. We must stand up and ben counted as a region when excellence is being mentioned. Our athletes, coaches, administrators and technical officials must take the front row seats where excellence is being recognised. This Region should be synonymous with sporting excellence and innovation as part of its DNA.

We thrive on celebrating our sporting Heroes and Heroines as well as preserving our rich sporting heritage. The introduction of the Annual Regional Sports Awards adds to the Region’s glamorous portfolio of products. We only have ourselves to blame if we fail to celebrate our sporting icons for meritorious performances and contribution to the upliftment of our Region’s pride and dignity. We pride ourselves in virtuously preserving our unique but diverse Regional sporting heritage and creating an enclave for that honoured history through the introduction of a Regional Sports Museum, complete with its battery of thematic mobile exhibitions.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this Region is what it is because of its people, its organs and its structures that steer it and provide the necessary checks and balances requisite for modernity in sports administration and management. We pay special tribute to all the sovereign Member States, past and present members of the Council of Ministers, Executive Committee, Secretariat, Commissions, Committees, Regional Confederations and staff, that have sacrificed life and limb, time and resources in a long journey towards this Region’s preferred future. A future we will all be proud to hand over to the next generation fully satisfied that we would have played our role in shaping the future that they deserve. Join me therefore in being strong ambassadors for this region and advocates for its positive incremental progression. The time to act is now. Excellence in sport is no accident. It is a result of meticulous planning, enduring patience and deliberate wise investment. We continue to thank all Governments in our region for their political will and concerted, sustained efforts across a range of sectors – tourism, infrastructure, hospitality, finance and economic development and health to name but a few. Sport plays a significant role in economic development of our countries and efforts must continue being deployed towards its prominence in Government planning and prioritisation. Event hosting and management has been a more impactful strategy for our countries’ positive Diplomatic relations and image enhancement. Numerous jobs have been created for our young people in various sectors through the power of sport. Nations and people have united where fraternal relations faced serious challenges simply because of the irresistible power of sport. This Region stands and will continue to stand solidly for the good if its citizenry. This Region will gallantly defend its Members’ integrity and solidarity under the strong belief that if we want to go fast we go alone, but if we want to go far, we go together!