Paris 2024 and Dakar 2026 further ties through signing of new cooperation agreement

Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games signed a collaboration agreement that will see both organizations work together to optimize the organization and staging of each Games. The agreement was signed in Paris by Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, and Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, President of Dakar 2026.

Under the agreement, both organizations will share expertise on all aspects of the organization of both prominent multi-sports Games. This will include the transfer of equipment and human resources between both organizations according to Paris 2024 organizers.

Dakar 2026 organizers will also travel to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games where they will participate in an observation program. Both organizations also hope to strengthen the legacy of their respective events through the signing of the cooperation agreement.

The new agreement acts as extension on an agreement signed by the two organizations in 2019. The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games were postponed from 2022 to 2026 a year after the original agreement was signed. The new agreement is also bolstered by the Dioko Alliance.

The Dioko Alliance aims to bring together French institutions committed to the success of the Dakar 2026 Games and their legacy according to the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The alliance covers the renovation of sports facilities, support for the greater sports movement within Senegal, the preparation of Senegalese athletes, and other cooperative projects such as the “Generation 2024″ civic service program.

Commenting on the signing of the new cooperation agreement, President of Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet stated, “the signing of this agreement marks a new stage in our privileged relationship with Dakar 2026.”

“Since the creation of the Dioko Alliance in 2019, we have already launched many projects. The postponement of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games from 2022 to 2026 allows us to further raise the level of ambition of the Alliance and to ensure that a Dakar 2026 Games is a beneficiary of the legacy of the Paris 2024 Games.”

“The next two years will allow us to forge closer links and explore new synergies between our two projects. After Lausanne 2020 and Tokyo 2020, we hope that our agreement with Dakar 2026 marks a new step towards promoting a new model of cooperation between Organizing Committees for greater efficiency in the organization of the Games.”

Ndiaye, added, “with this agreement, we give meaning and practical content to the sports cooperation that goes beyond our two Organizing Committees. We have the opportunity to write a historic page of Olympism together, through memorable Games in Paris and Dakar, which will leave a permanent legacy.”

He concluded, “Dakar 2026 is about the world’s youth being celebrated by Africa and we are delighted that Paris 2024 is contributing to this.”