In a brief solemn ceremony at Unity Palace on Friday October 23, 2009, a 16-man delegation led by André Siaka, General Manager of the Brasseries du Cameroun, presented the FIFA World Cup to President Paul Biya. The event was part of an African tour that the Cup is undertaking in prelude to the 2010 World Cup taking place in South Africa, and for the first time ever, on African soil.

The Head of State, in a keynote address at the ceremony, underlined the significance of the presence of the Cup in Cameroon and Africa. “Indeed, there are few events which arouse as much enthusiasm and interest as the Football World Cup,” the President pointed out in his declaration. He recalled Cameroon’s previous performances at the final tournament of the World Cup and expressed the wish to see the players do more in world football. “I hope that our country which has just been ranked first African country by FIFA will accomplish the same feat next year,” the President said. Apart from André Siaka, head of the team with the Cup who spoke, Emmanuel Maradas, and head of FIFA communication service that represented the FIFA President gave the vision behind the idea to take the World Cup around Africa.

Besides the marketing importance of the Cup coming to Cameroon, André Siaka disclosed in his opening speech that the event had a FCFA 15 billion investment, along with it, for the provision of potable water in Africa by Coca Cola. He explained that Cameroon had FCAF 350 million of the money to be spent in the country. For his part, Emmanuel Maradas appreciated the President of the Republic for making it possible that FIFA brings the Cup to Cameroon and hoped that the Indomitable Lions should continue to make Central Africa, to which he belongs as a Chadian, proud.

Apart from the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President General of the Supreme Court, some selected guests including close collaborators of the Head of State as well as some cabinet ministers were present at the Unity Palace to mark the popularity of the event and outline the high moment of communion that the passage of the Football World Cup in Cameroon denotes.

source:quotidienCameroonTribune du 26/10/09