CAF President Patrice Motsepe to address Africa Forward Summit in Kenya
The Africa Forward Summit represents a significant assembly involving African leaders, the French President, the African Union, global financial bodies, and development allies, aimed at forging tangible agreements and a fresh collaboration framework between Africa and France.
Motsepe is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Africa Forward Summit on Monday, 11 May. Kenya stands as one of three East African countries set to co-host the Africa Cup of Nations from June to July 2027, marking the continents premier sporting spectacle.
Motsepe plans to conduct multiple discussions with high-ranking representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda regarding the arrangements for the 2027 AFCON.
2027 AFCON marks inaugural co-hosting effort
The 2027 tournament will be the initial instance of joint hosting by three nations, and the first in half a century for the CECAFA area, following the event in Ethiopia back in 1976.
This occasion coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Africa Cup of Nations, and it will be the final edition scheduled in odd years, following CAFs announcement in December 2025 that AFCON will transition to a quadrennial format starting from 2028.
Kenya anticipates leading initiatives on e-mobility during the forthcoming Africa Summit, with domestic enterprises in the field advocating for advancements and collaborative funding opportunities alongside French and EU counterparts.
The summit is co-organised by Kenyas President William Ruto and Frances President Emmanuel Macron. It signifies the first such Africa-France gathering in an English-speaking African nation since 1973.
Over 30 African leaders are anticipated to attend the event in Nairobi, which has also drawn more than 1500 business executives and international investors.
Tanzania advances security protocols
As Motsepe prepares to visit East Africa, Tanzania has introduced comprehensive security measures in anticipation of the AFCON, committed to providing a secure and protected setting for the competitions.
As reported by Daily News, these arrangements were reviewed in a session of the 2027 AFCON National Committee alongside Valeroo de Divitiis, the United Nations Head of Sports Security, who is presently in Dar es Salaam.
During the discussion, Acting Director of Sports Development Boniface Tamba highlighted the necessity of thorough security protocols to ensure the 2027 AFCON fixtures occur in secure, steady circumstances aligned with global benchmarks.
Moreover, the session emphasised improving cooperation among security and sporting organisations, performing hazard evaluations, and developing strong security oversight frameworks to fulfil Tanzanias duties as a host country.
The inaugural fixture is slated for Saturday, 19 June, with the concluding match on Saturday, 17 July. These timelines received approval from the FIFA Council at their recent assembly in Vancouver, Canada.
CAF intends to reveal the host nation for the opening fixture and the finale shortly. Following the completion of the preliminary stage, the path to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda proceeds with the qualifier draw on 19 May.