Preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are continuing with intensified cooperation between Senegal and France, particularly on security arrangements linked to the organisation of the event.
Following talks held on Wednesday 24 June 2026, Senegal’s Interior Minister Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé and France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation ahead of the Games, which are seen as a major milestone for Senegal’s international visibility. Discussions focused on the specific security planning and coordination measures required to ensure the successful staging of the event, building on exchanges initiated in 2022 related to security support for major international sporting events.
The French minister highlighted the active engagement of his department alongside Senegalese authorities, pointing directly to the valuable experience gained during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, whose operational lessons could be shared with Dakar for the 2026 edition. This bilateral dynamic is part of a broader effort to promote sport as a driver of development and continental integration, a theme that was heavily highlighted during the “Forward Africa” summit held in Nairobi in May 2026.
On that occasion, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye called for sport to become a powerful lever for economic and social transformation, stressing the importance of building a lasting legacy around major sporting events hosted in Africa. He described the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games—the first edition ever held on African soil—as a symbol of fraternity, tolerance, and peace. In the same spirit, several African leaders underscored the role of sport in economic development and regional integration, with Botswana’s President Duma Boko highlighting its potential in job creation, tourism, and infrastructure development. The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will officially take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together around 2,700 athletes aged 17 and under, with the taekwondo competitions specifically scheduled for 8 to 12 November 2026 as part of this historic African edition.
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