MALI: Former France soccer captain and United Nations goodwill ambassador, Zinedine Zidane visits projects supported by UN's development agency to meet the 2015 millennium development goals

Record ID: 803424

  • Title: MALI: Former France soccer captain and United Nations goodwill ambassador, Zinedine Zidane visits projects supported by UN's development agency to meet the 2015 millennium development goals
  • Date: 24th October 2011
  • Summary: BAMAKO, MALI (OCTOBER 20, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ZIDANE TALKING TO MALI PRESIDENT, AMADOU TOUMANI TOURÉ ZIDANE SIGNING AUTOGRAPH ZIDANE HANDING FOOTBALL OVER TO PRESIDENT TOURÉ
  • Embargoed: 8th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mali, Mali
  • Country: Mali
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7DIRJ4OWGHW1OEV8TF9KN8B4M
  • Story Text: Former French football star, and UN development programme (UNDP) goodwill ambassador Zinedine Zidane was in Mali this weekend to help highlight the country's efforts towards achieving the UN millennium goals set for 2015.
    Zidane visited three projects outside Bamako and was met by hundreds of residents including a group of traditional hunters from the country's Dogon community who came out to welcome him with song and dance.
    The footballer was there to assess some of the UN supported development initiatives that are being implemented by local communities.
    Zidane's is expected to help draw attention to campaign efforts by West African countries in fighting poverty.
    Local officials explained that residents face five main challenges in fighting poverty -- lack of electricity and proper health facilities. They would also like to irrigate 4000 hectares of rice fields, open a youth center and upgrade a community diesel generator.
    The fifth and last of our priorities is to extend the projects that you will be visiting. All these five priorities will make Koursalé a modern village of African local development," said an unidentified village representative addressing Zidane and a crowd who attended the event.
    The Millennium Development Goals were set in 2000 by 189 heads of state seeking to drive global policy to tackle poverty, hunger, ill-health and lack of access to clean water, among other things.
    The status of 39-year-old Zidane as one of the greatest international footballers of his time did not escape the residents of the villages he visited -- they came out ready with balls and pieces of paper to take advantage of the rare opportunity to get his autograph.
    He thanked his fans and said he was going to help push to improve lives in Mali.
    "I said to myself... it's very important to be supported by all of you and this encourages me to continue with what I am doing for UNDP, because I think this makes life meaningful."
    Zidane visited various income generating projects including a cooperative run by women that processes Shea butter products for sale.
    "Achieving the millennium development goals is a big priority for us here in Mali so Zidane is here to help us spread the message that with a big coalition of people committed to these goals we can really make it happen in 2015," said Maurice Dewulf, the acting UNDP Representative in Mali.
    According to the UN, Mali is one the Sub-Saharan countries that are on track to achieving at least six of the millennium goals.
    Zidane later met the country's president, Amadou Toumani Touré where he presented the country's leader with an autographed football.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register