Sport as a Vector of African Unity, Algeria Signals Global Olympic Ambition

On the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Mustapha Berraf—President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and member of the International Olympic Committee—participated on Wednesday morning in Algiers in the DK News Forum, a high-level platform dedicated to interrogating the structuring role of Olympic values in shaping Africa’s trajectory and consolidating its positioning within the global sporting order.

In a declaration of notable institutional consequence, Berraf formally announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Association of National Olympic Committees, the umbrella body encompassing more than 200 national Olympic committees worldwide, with elections scheduled for December. The announcement delineates a clear strategic inflection, situating Africa within an assertive framework of representation at the apex of Olympic governance.

Berraf articulated his candidacy as part of an integrated vision designed to recalibrate Africa’s presence within the decision-making architectures of the international Olympic movement, while contributing to the evolution of governance norms through a calibrated equilibrium of inclusivity and institutional balance.

In statements underscored by sovereign endorsement, Berraf confirmed that his decision to enter the race followed the approval and support of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He drew attention to the centrality accorded to sport within Algeria’s state doctrine, positioning it as a vector of soft power and a structured instrument for projecting influence across international arenas.

He further highlighted presidential orientations anchored in reinforcing cohesion and solidarity among African states, deepening civilizational and cultural linkages among the continent’s peoples through sport, and consolidating Africa’s status as a consequential and proactive actor within the international Olympic system.

Addressing the broader Olympic constituency, Berraf advanced a conception of sport as a strategic matrix for peace-building and intercultural convergence, framing it as a foundational lever in the construction of a cooperative and integrated continental future.

He concluded by calling for a concerted alignment among stakeholders across the sporting ecosystem, advancing sport as a catalyst for sustainable development. His candidacy, he affirmed, embodies a structured African ambition to access leadership within global Olympic institutions and to advance Olympic values within a framework defined by responsibility, openness, and institutional maturity.