Sports infrastructure : The renovated Friendship Stadium

38 years after its construction, the Friendship stadium in the meantime baptized ”Stade de l’Amitié Général Mathieu Kérékou in Cotonou has just been renovated. And its provisional acceptance took place on Thursday, July 1 2021 in the presence of the Beninese and Chinese authorities.

The rehabilitation of this sports infrastructure is the result of cooperation between Benin and the People's Republic of China. This, following the signing of the memorandum of understanding to this effect by the Beninese Head of State Patrice Talon. On the occasion of the ceremony of provisional handover of the work, we note the presence of several Beninese authorities including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Aurélien AGBENONCI. In his speech, he praised the vitality of cooperation between Benin and China before thanking the Chinese authorities who, according to him have shown through this work their love for Benin. For him, the jewel will reopen a stage of testimonies for the great successes of the people of Benin in the realization of "Revealed Benin"

On the Chinese side, the quality of the infrastructure delivered corresponds to the sports ambitions of the Beninese government. This is why the head of Chinese diplomacy in Benin, Pen Jingtao believes in his remarks during the ceremony that the architecture of the jewel will allow Benin to reveal itself to other nations in accordance with the ambitions of the authorities in the field of sport.. At a cost of approximately 13 billion FCFA, the renovation work took into account all the compartments of the stadium. And already, the Saturday 10 July 2021, this stadium will undergo its baptism of fire at continental level with the hosting of the final of the 18^th  edition of the African Football Confederation Cup.

Edmond HOUESSIKINDE