New stadium opens its doors in Chad

Image: Presidency of the Republic of Chad

The Marshal Idriss Deby Itno Olympic Stadium has been officially inaugurated in the town of Mandjafa in the Central African state of Chad.

Xinhua said the venue, which seats 30,000 spectators, was built with Chinese support and marks a significant milestone in Chad–China cooperation.

The stadium was named in memory of the late Marechal Idriss Deby Itno, father of the current president, who initiated the project in 2019.

Designed as a multi-purpose facility, the stadium is equipped to host various sporting events, including football, basketball, handball, volleyball, tennis, and athletics such as shot put.

The government and sporting bodies in Chad hope the new venue will one day serve as a host for an edition of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations, showcasing the country’s growing capacity for large-scale international events.

The project was developed by China’s Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group, which supervised and executed the construction over five years.

A total of 1,963 Chadian workers contributed to the effort, underlining the local labor force’s involvement and benefit from the venture.

With a capacity of 30,000, the new stadium becomes the largest in the country, surpassing the 20,000-seat Stade National in nearby N’Djamena.

Senoussi Abdoulaye, Mayor of N’Djamena, said, “This stadium is not just a building. It is a place of dreams, passion, achievement and togetherness.

“It represents the aspirations of our young people, the influence of Mandjafa and the hopes of an entire nation on the road to excellence.”

The Minister for Youth and Sport, Maide Hamid Lony, credited the project to the stability achieved under the current leadership.

She said, “When you came to power at a time of delicate transition, some sceptics were betting on chaos… but history has proved them wrong,” she said, noting that the new stadium stands as proof of ‘courage, political wisdom and national reconciliation’.

Former Minister Hassan Silla Bakari called the stadium “a foundation of friendship and fraternity,”

Meanwhile, ministry executive Hassan Ibrahim Ali highlighted the economic impact of the stadium.

He said, “We pay tens of millions abroad for matches. Now, we have the best stadium in Central Africa.”

Chinese Ambassador Wang Xining handed over the keys to the Mandjafa Stadium.

Wang said that the stadium now belongs to the Chadian government and the people, standing as a testimony to the fraternal friendship between the Chinese and Chadian peoples and the China-Chad strategic partnership.

“This partnership was renewed during the visit of Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno to Beijing in China,” Wang said.

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