FIFA WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA
WHEN THE GAME CHANGED FOR AFRICA

Awaiting the final results from the competition, the UN reflects on some results of their own.

ANNA KEY, UN OFFICE ON SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE (UNOSDP)

With less than one week remaining in the first ever Football World Cup to be played on African soil, the United Nations reflects upon the work that was done within the various agencies, funds and programmes to capitalize on this monumental opportunity for development. In the midst of the 5 year countdown to 2015, this edition of the FIFA World CupTM has served as a crucial catalyst toward the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the successful initiatives of the UN are a testament to progress that is being made in this pursuit.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who attended the World Cup opening ceremony and game on 11 June in Johannesburg together with his Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke, described the event as a “great moment for the African continent” and a triumph for humanity. “Already a variety of international, national, and local actors – such as government bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector – have been active in using the positive momentum generated to drive forward development projects. I am confident these projects will thrive and leave a legacy of steady and sustained development – South Africa and the entire African continent must take advantage of the benefits created by the World Cup,” he declared.

On 19 October 2009, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 64/5, “2010 International Federation of Association Football World Cup South Africa”, as an indication that the UN viewed this event as more than just a football competition. As sport is being increasingly recognized as a cost-efficient means to achieve objectives of peace and development worldwide and to spur action on a range of vital issues, agencies from across the UN system have made efforts to include and mainstream its use in their various mandates. Many chose to launch programmes at the 2010 FIFA World CupTM with the intention of utilizing the momentum that the event would generate.

Among the most clearly successful UN projects surrounding the event was the creation of the MDG song and video, “8 Goals for Africa”. The joint initiative, spearheaded by the Country Team in South Africa and UNDP, brought together eight of Africa’s best known musicians in a pledge to commit to obtaining the MDGs. The song and the accompanying video were played throughout the World Cup as an effort to promote the UN’s critical message and agenda.

The UN received additional support in promoting the message of the MDGs from UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors and international football stars Michael Ballack of Germany and Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo, who joined the UN-backed global campaign to reduce HIV / AIDS infections in mothers and babies. UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Zinédine Zidane of France also launched an anti-poverty TV spot appealing for the world to live up to the challenge and join the team that will beat poverty (www.kickoutpoverty.org). Other UN entities undertaking efforts in connection with the event include the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Joint UN Programme on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS), the Development Programme (UNDP), the Environment Programme (UNEP), the Population Fund (UNFPA), the Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Millennium Campaign and the World Health Organization (WHO).¹

This edition of the Football World Cup was an opportunity for the world to see the hope and optimism of the South African people, and the potential of the region to hold such a successful large-scale event, inviting and captivating audiences from around the globe.

Most importantly, there is no doubt that the world saw this event as a critical moment in history, and as a potential turning point for African development. Beyond the sports competition, the event has been a historical symbol, and a demonstration of solidarity and commitment by the global community to support the continent in achieving the MDGs on a regional level, where the need is most urgent.

Special Adviser Wilfried Lemke summed up the success of the tournament: “The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has shown that development and progress are certainly not distant dreams for the African continent. Instead, they are tangible realities that if developed and supported can reach unprecedented new heights of success. We have seen here the possibilities that spirit, determination, and faith can have for a country and a region. Now it is up to the world to sustain this momentum, and continue to stand in solidarity for Africa.”

And while the world awaits the final results of the championship match on 11 July, it is certain that one result is already determined: the legacy that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will forever hold as the moment when the game changed for Africa.

¹ Learn more about UN initiatives around the 2010 FIFA World CupTM at www.un.org/sport