On Thursday, the President of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF), Mr. Yacine Idriss Diallo, received the Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Côte d'Ivoire, His Excellency Zied Saadaoui, at the Federation’s headquarters in Treichville.
The meeting focused primarily on football relations between Côte d'Ivoire and Tunisia, including the upcoming establishment of a memorandum of understanding between the Ivorian Football Federation and the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF). This agreement will cover the development of youth football, training of coaches, and several other joint projects.
For H.E. Zied Saadaoui, encouraging cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Tunisia in football is more necessary than ever.
"First of all, I took the opportunity to congratulate the President of the FIF once again for Côte d'Ivoire’s brilliant victory in the last Africa Cup of Nations. I told him that the Elephants team is a model for us; the way they played, performed, was a lesson that we must learn from. I am also here because I believe that the Ivorian Football Federation is going through a rich experience that could inspire us in Tunisia. We are very interested in fostering exchange, brotherly relations, and cooperation based on mutual interests. I have asked the President that we begin working together on youth development, encouraging interactions between Ivorian and Tunisian players. Several Ivorian players are now in top Tunisian teams, and they contribute significantly to Tunisian football. We are proud to see them play among us. We want to strengthen this experience and this cooperation, and why not establish a long-term cooperation program to train coaches and young players," he said.
The Tunisian diplomat also expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Tunisia, citing the success of FC San Pedro, where Tunisians and Ivorians have worked together to build a great team.
"This is a model for us and a modern form of cooperation that we have encouraged. I even urged Tunisian investors to further expand the football academy project, which will remain a model for all of Africa. It’s a South-South cooperation model that has borne fruit, and we are proud of it," he acknowledged.
For his part, FIF President Yacine Idriss Diallo expressed his honor and pride in receiving the Tunisian diplomat.
"First, I would like to thank His Excellency the Ambassador of Tunisia for his presence here. It is an honor for us to host the Ambassador of such a great country because, while your modesty may suggest otherwise, Tunisia is the African country that has participated in the most World Cups. For us, Tunisia is a model of consistency and resilience in World Cup qualification. Our wish now is for Côte d'Ivoire, like Tunisia, to be present at every World Cup. For us, it’s an opportunity to learn from their model and organization," he said, adding:
"It’s also a way for us to build strong cooperation with the Tunisian Football Federation through the Ambassador and the Ministry of Sports of Tunisia, which has agreed to this project. For us, the goal is to establish a memorandum of understanding that will guide our relationship and facilitate exchanges for both boys and girls, technicians, and teams. So, this is a great opportunity. Indeed, we welcome many Ambassadors to the Ivorian Football Federation, and this is the result of the work we’ve been doing for over two years to reorganize our football, address the challenges we’ve faced, and improve the image of our institution, greatly aided by our victory in the AFCON and the successful organization of that tournament. This recognition of our work must make us even more humble, more diligent, and more rigorous in maintaining this level of performance and earning the trust of the distinguished guests who come to visit us. It is also an opportunity for us to learn alongside these countries, which have extensive experience in football and a structured, strong economy. This will allow for closer ties between our sporting ecosystems. There are many possibilities here. We are very honored by this trust, and we always pray to God to help us move forward in the right direction," concluded Mr. Yacine Idriss Diallo.
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