The general coordinator of the Dakar-2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Organising Committee, Ibrahima Wade, and the young people of the Learning Academy received, on Monday, January 26, a visit from an important French delegation led by Éléonore Caroit, Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad, and Christine Fages, Ambassador of France to Senegal.

The visit took place at the BEM offices, in the presence of officials from the organizing committee and beneficiaries of the training program. It is part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between Senegal and France in preparation for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

On this occasion, the two parties signed two partnership agreements with the French National Team Fund (FEF) and the Fund for Studies and Assistance to the Private Sector (FASEP). These agreements aim to support training initiatives, capacity building, and project support related to the organization of the Youth Olympic Games.

Ibrahima Wade reiterated the ambition of the Learning Academy program. "We have established the Learning Academy to train 400 young people from more than twenty nationalities, enabling them to acquire key skills for the organization of the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal. And France has decided to support this project. That is the whole point of these agreements," he emphasized.

For her part, Éléonore Caroit said she was impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of the young participants. "It's very rare to see young people so committed and full of joy. France is here to support and participate in this wonderful adventure, but also to pass the torch," she declared.

Through this visit and the signing of these agreements, Senegal and France reaffirm their common desire to make the Dakar-2026 Youth Olympic Games a legacy event focused on youth, training and skills transfer.