Joe Apu
FIBA Africa at the weekend unveiled its new headquarters in the city of Abidjan.
The milestone event took place on the margins of the first-ever FIBA Central Board meeting held in Africa and was attended by more than 150 people.
Those in attendance included: Mr. François Amichia, Representative of Cote d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister, Mr. Danho Paulin, Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Sports and Recreation; Mr. Moussa Sanogo, Minister of Budget; Mr. Horacio Muratore, FIBA President; Mr. Andreas Zagklis, FIBA Secretary General; Mr. Hamane Niang, FIBA Vice-President and FIBA Africa President; Mr. Turgay Demirel, FIBA Vice-President and FIBA Europe President; Mr. Abdoulaye Seye Moreau, former FIBA President and FIBA Hall of Fame Inductee; Amadou Gallo Fall, Managing Director of NBA Africa and Mr. Yao Ming, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Global Ambassador.
Members of FIBA’s Executive Committee and Central Board and distinguished guests joined them.
FIBA Africa’s new headquarters is built on a 4,000 square meter plot of land and Ivorian companies carried all of the construction work out.
The two-floor building consists of: a welcome esplanade, a conference room, a Lagoon Edge terrace, a Hall of Fame, offices, a recording studio, a multi-purpose room, a restaurant and a non-covered cursive terrace.
On this important day for all African basketball stakeholders, FIBA President Horacio Muratore thanked the Ivorian government for its support.
“Nearly 58 years after its creation, FIBA Africa owns now its house of basketball. I would like to emphasize the crucial role played by the Ivorian government in offering hospitality to our organization for the construction of this headquarters. From the beginning of the talks, we felt the great interest of your country in hosting the House of African basketball.”
On his side, Mr. Niang paid tribute to one of the key contributors, who made this achievement possible – former FIBA secretary general, Patrick Baumann.