FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura has just completed her first official visit to Senegal – her birthplace – since taking on her new role in June 2016. During the three-day trip, the Secretary General was received by Senegalese President Macky Sall and Senegalese Prime Minister Mohammed Dionne. In addition, Samoura held discussions with Senegalese Football Association (FSF) head Augustin Senghor, as well as with the FSF Executive Committee, Foreign Affairs Minister Mankeur Ndiaye and Sport Minister Matar Ba.

During these meetings, the Secretary General emphasised the football development initiatives launched by the new FIFA administration, particularly the new FIFA Forward programme, which will substantially increase funds allocated to Member Associations while ensuring that projects are supervised and monitored much more effectively.

Samoura also discussed the forthcoming opening of a new FIFA regional office in Dakar with the Senegalese authorities, a move that will support the implementation of the FIFA Forward programme in the region, and help the FAs in the region to refine their strategies and achieve their development objectives.