Speaking at the opening of the 33rd General Assembly of the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), El Moutawakel emphasized that Morocco, which will also host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2025, is set to experience unprecedented momentum in infrastructure development.
The first Arab and African woman to win an Olympic gold medal, El Moutawakel shared highlights of her athletic career and her extensive experience with major international sporting events, having attended over twenty-two editions of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games since Los Angeles 1984.
“I have seen up close the impact of sports and the complexity of organizing a major event such as the World Cup,” she said, stressing that Morocco is ready to host such a large-scale global sporting event.
She also underscored the essential role of sports in the flourishing of society, drawing from her own personal experience. “Thanks to the power of sports, my life changed. It only took 54 seconds and 61 hundredths to go from the shadows to the spotlight,” she said.
El Moutawakel concluded by praising FIFA’s “stroke of genius” in uniting Europe and Africa in a joint bid, describing it as an ideal platform to showcase the role of sports in development.
The 33rd AMAN General Assembly brings together directors general and senior representatives of member agencies from across the Mediterranean region.
The opening session featured remarks by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and 2030 FIFA World Cup Committee, Fouzi Lekjaa.
The General Assembly’s agenda, under Morocco’s MAP presidency for the current year, included a panel discussion titled “2030 FIFA World Cup: Challenges and Role of Mediterranean Press Agencies,” featuring key figures from the worlds of football and media.