Region Five Youth Games offer business opportunities

The African Union Sports Council (Ausc) has urged companies and individuals in the country to use the youth games scheduled for December this year as a business opportunity for hospitality, telecommunications and construction sectors.

Speaking when he met Minister of Youth and Sports Richard Chimwendo Banda, Region Five chief executive officer Stanley Mutoya said the games offer business opportunities for both smallscale businesses and big companies.

He said: “The emphasis for the 2022 games is to serve as a strategy to stimulate economic growth. Close to 2 500 players, officials and journalists will travel to Malawi for the games that will take place in Lilongwe.

“This is huge for hotels, lodges, catering services, transport services and telecommunications companies.”

Mutoya said companies and organisations have a chance to market themselves to the whole of Africa and the world since the event will be covered by major media channels.

“The games are not about sports only but development as well. The construction, currently underway at various sports venues, will improve infrastructure for the next 10 or 15 years and be used for other tournaments as well,” he said.

Mutoya said Lesotho Government pumped in $23 million (about K210m) towards the event in December last year.

Ten countries, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe will participate in 11 sports codes.

In his remarks, the minister he said they discussed plans to improve Region 5 athletes performance during major international competitions.

Chimwendo Banda, who has replaced Ulemu Msungama as chairperson of Ausc Region Five Council of Ministers, expressed confidence of delivering a good and successful event.

“Government of Malawi remains committed and steadfast to deliver its mandate of successfully hosting the 10th edition of the Region Five Youth Games,” he said.

Chimwendo Banda said the government of Malawi is a proud member of the Region Five family and would deliver on its mandate and obligation to the region.